India’s refusal to adhere to Western sanctions against Russia as a consequence of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is in stark contrast to its recent repeated confirmations of unequivocally siding with its QUAD partners US, Japan and Australia against China’s expansion and its joining the newly created quadrilateral forum I2U2, a grouping comprising India,…
-
European Neutrality is dying out
Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine has had another opposite effect of his stated intention to divide Europe: the four former neutrals – Finland, Sweden, Austria and Switzerland – are changing their traditional non-alignment policy. Irland might, too. Ukraine, Moldova but also a clear popular majority in Belarus want to become EU members to put…
-
Russia’s war against Ukraine and India’s long term interests
India abstained, when the UN Security Council voted a resolution condemning Russia for its unsolicited war of aggression against the Ukraine. For some in the West, this positioning may have come as a surprise and certainly as a disappointment. A deeper look into the historic background, however, reveals some logic for Prime Minister Modi’s position.…
-
Xi’s China and European security
With the historical resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, dated 11 November, China accelerates the trajectory towards its Maoist past. Xi’s one leader, one country, one thought doctrine becomes a menace to the rest of the world. Europe, thus the EU is directly challenged. Strategic reliance on the US will no longer…
-
Believing Biden
At the conclusion of the one week trip to Europe by President Biden the Europeans appear to believe in the necessity of a push back against the authoritarian China of Xi-Jinping despite their mutual economic interests with Beijing and their fear of an eventual Trumpian renaissance in the US. Contrary to Trump, it is relatively…
-
Financial Centres in parallel peril
There is a curious parallel between Hong Kong and London as financial centres potentially declining due to their recent loss of a unique position. Historically both were crucial nods in the global network of the British Empire. More recently both functioned at a critical junction between the booming Chinese Economy, and the EU respectively on…
-
India in geopolitics and at home: two worlds
The picture of India’s geostrategic position is moving, these days. Over recent months, China’s geopolitical behaviour and accompanying diplomatic rhetoric have become more assertive. But in the logic of cause and effect, international resistance against China is growing, too. US-President Biden has recently called for a digital summit of the rejuvenated Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, Quad,…