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Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Following Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani's Feb. 17-18 visit to India, the two countries released a joint statement in which Qatar pledged to invest $10 billion across a range of Indian sectors, including infrastructure, technology and manufacturing, Reuters reported on Feb. 18.

India, Qatar: Qatar Pledges to Invest $10B in India

United States

Military & Security

Politics

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to negotiate further on a deal to resolve alleged trade disparities, which Trump hinted would involve increased U.S. energy exports to India and which Modi said would see bilateral trade double to $500 billion by 2030, AP reported on Feb. 14.

India, U.S.: Modi's Visit to Washington Garners Pledges To Bolster Bilateral Trade, Defense Ties

The Election Commission of India announced on Feb. 8 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party regained power in Delhi after 27 years by winning the most seats in the Feb. 5 state legislature election, The Hindu reported on Feb. 9. 

India: BJP Wins Delhi Assembly Elections

Delhi, home to India's federal capital, voted to elect its next government in a high-stakes battle for 70 state assembly seats, The Times of India reported on Feb. 5.

India: Delhi Holds Highly Contested State Assembly Elections

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the United States on Feb. 12 for a two-day trip, during which he is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on Feb. 13, The Hindu reported on Feb. 4.

India: Modi To Speak With Trump During Two-Day U.S. Visit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government presented a budget aimed at driving economic growth by supporting agriculture and manufacturing while boosting the spending power of India's middle class and reinforcing fiscal consolidation, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 1. 

India: Government Presents Union Budget Aimed at Economic Growth

China

India and China agreed to restart direct flights after almost five years alongside initiatives to enhance journalists' access and ease pilgrimages to a Hindu shrine in Tibet, Reuters reported on Jan. 28.

India, China: Direct Flights To Resume After Five Years

During a Jan. 27 phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, U.S. President Donald Trump emphasized the importance of India purchasing more American-made security equipment, cracking down on illegal immigration and moving toward a balanced bilateral trade relationship, Reuters reported on Jan. 28.

India, U.S: Trump and Modi Discuss Trade, Defense Purchases, and Illegal Immigration

Assessments

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a luncheon at the U.S. State Department on June 23, 2023, in Washington, D.C.

Discussions between the two leaders will likely focus on addressing India's trade surplus with the U.S., exploring ways to mitigate potential tariffs, and deepening defense cooperation.

What To Expect From Modi's Meeting With Trump

Ecuador

Jordan

Europe

Ukraine

Jordan's King Abdullah II speaks to the press in the Cross Hall of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 12, 2024.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Trump Meets With India and Jordan's Leaders, Ecuador Holds Elections

Sub-Saharan Africa

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ethiopia

Tanzania

Americas

Brazil

Colombia

Cuba

Haiti

Nicaragua

Venezuela

Iraq

Israel

Lebanon

Palestinian Territories

Syria

Yemen

Cambodia

Indonesia

North Macedonia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Serbia

Albania

Kosovo

Russia

South Asia

Afghanistan

Bangladesh

The lobby of the headquarters for the U.S. Agency for International Development is seen on Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. 

Social Issues

Cuts to U.S.-funded humanitarian and development programs could worsen global health outcomes, destabilize security environments, accelerate democratic backsliding, and create opportunities for rival powers to expand their influence.

The Global Implications of Trump's Foreign Aid Cuts

Pakistan

Bangladeshi soldiers stand guard in Dhaka on July 27, 2024.

Since assuming power in August, Bangladesh's interim government has pursued closer ties with Pakistan and China, deepening India's concerns about regional stability and its declining influence over Dhaka.

Bangladesh's More Assertive Foreign Policy Puts India on Edge

The Geopolitics of Water

Energy

South Asia's rising demand for water resources will exacerbate disputes over key waterways, particularly the Brahmaputra and Indus rivers.

The Geopolitics of Water: Regional Rivals Compete for South Asia's Rivers

Germany

France

The West Front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 17 in Washington. Donald Trump will be inaugurated as U.S. president on Jan. 20.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: The Gaza Ceasefire, Trump's Inauguration

Columns

On Geopolitics

Asia-Pacific

Australia

Japan

Malaysia

Philippines

South Korea

Taiwan

Vietnam

U.S. President Joe Biden gestures to reporters after landing on the South Lawn of the White House on Sept. 22, 2024, in Washington, D.C. 

U.S.-China Relations

Trump's more aggressive and transactional approach could deliver quick wins for the U.S.'s position in the region, though it could also strain ties with key partners. 

Trump's Asia-Pacific Approach Will Test Biden's Gains

Iran

Cyber

Water utilities are uniquely vulnerable to cyberattacks due to frequent financial and security limitations, exposing water-stressed countries to threats from hacktivists and foreign adversaries.

 The Geopolitics of Water: Cyberattacks' Impact on Water Stress in the U.S. and Beyond

Depleted groundwater reserves threaten India's agriculture, energy and manufacturing sectors, potentially sparking unrest and inter-state disputes in the absence of a coordinated national policy.

The Geopolitics of Water: India's Groundwater Crisis

Sri Lanka

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (R) and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) arrive for a joint press conference at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 25, 2020.

While U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will maintain many of the outgoing Biden administration's overarching policies toward South Asia, bilateral relationships will grow increasingly transactional.

What Trump's Second Term Means for South Asia

Indian soldiers walk along a road near the Zojila mountain pass that connects to Ladakh, bordering China, on Feb. 28, 2021. 

While their recent efforts to ease bilateral tensions will probably reduce the risk of border clashes, deep-seated mistrust between the two strategic rivals will very likely limit the scope of any reconciliation. 

After a Tense Few Years, India and China Try To Turn Down the Heat

Kenya

South Africa

Egypt

United Arab Emirates

Moldova

Vehicles pass by a banner thanking outgoing Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and congratulating President-elect Prabowo Subianto and Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka ahead of their Oct. 20 inauguration in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Oct. 17, 2024.

The Weekly Rundown: An Impeachment Case in Kenya, an Inauguration in Indonesia

<p>India is endowed with favorable geographic barriers. Surrounded by oceans on three sides and the formidable Himalayan Mountains to the north, what is now modern India has been free of outside interference for much of its long history. Its large geographic size and population, coupled with weaker peripheral nations on much of its boundaries, have allowed India to become the dominant force in South Asia. Home to the world&rsquo;s second-largest population, India&rsquo;s 1.3 billion people are spread out across the peninsular nation, from the foothills of the Himalayas to the tropical south. India&rsquo;s population core is settled along the Ganges river basin, a densely populated swath of fertile land that extends across the northern Himalayan border. India&rsquo;s primary geographic challenge comes from a lack of strong internal boundaries. Modern-day India struggles to rectify the ambitions of a relatively weak national government that competes with the prerogatives of strong, diverse states &mdash; a legacy of a long history of domestic infighting between various dynasties uninhibited by mountains or other defining geography. A similar lack of defining geography still plagues India&rsquo;s northwest border. Waves of Greek, Persian, and Mongols invaded, culminating in the Mughal Empire, which united much of the subcontinent prior to British conquest. The northwestern border still poses national security risks, due to ongoing disputes with Pakistan. But rising domestic consumption means India is increasingly dependent on imported goods from distant suppliers. Surrounded by water or impassable mountains, New Delhi now faces the additional task of developing naval capabilities to secure its critical supply routes, risking maritime tensions with China in the broader Indo-Pacific basin.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

India, Qatar: Qatar Pledges to Invest $10B in India

India, U.S.: Modi's Visit to Washington Garners Pledges To Bolster Bilateral Trade, Defense Ties

India: BJP Wins Delhi Assembly Elections

India: Delhi Holds Highly Contested State Assembly Elections

India: Modi To Speak With Trump During Two-Day U.S. Visit

India: Government Presents Union Budget Aimed at Economic Growth

India, China: Direct Flights To Resume After Five Years

India, U.S: Trump and Modi Discuss Trade, Defense Purchases, and Illegal Immigration

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