By Abia Fathima, Research Officer Image Courtesy: ORF The year 2025 has emerged as a definitive turning point for China’s premier Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The year 2025 marks the most substantial level of engagement in the history of the BRI. Since its launch in 2013, the BRI has served as the central conduit for China’s global economic and geopolitical vision. Nevertheless, the level of data that has been registered in 2025 marks a clear shift away from the past trend

By Annunthra Rangan, Senior Research Officer Image Courtesy: Middle East Eye West Asia is once again on the edge. Following a short but intense conflict between Iran and Israel in 2025, and mounting tensions involving the United States, Tehran is reportedly seeking to replenish and upgrade its depleted missile capabilities. As part of this effort, Iran is close to finalizing a major arms agreement with China,  potentially one of the largest weapons transfers in their history.

By Dr. Adityanjee and Guncha Shandilya Image Courtesy: DRaS Introduction: China’s contemporary diplomatic posture can be traced back to Deng Xiaoping’s strategic counsel in the 1990s to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP): “Hide your strength and bide your time.”  Although Deng articulated this philosophy, it was his successor, the 3 rd  generation CCP/PLA Leader Jiang Zemin, who formalized this phrase in its widely recognized form. For over two decades, this pragmatic doctrine

By Annunthra Rangan, Senior Research Officer, C3S Image courtesy: SpecialEurasia Iran is witnessing a phase of unrest that increasingly resembles a revolutionary rupture rather than a cyclical episode of protest. Unlike earlier waves of dissent, the current movement shows little sign of retreat despite the intensity of state repression. Reports suggesting that the death toll crossed 12,000 within a matter of weeks underscore the extraordinary scale of violence and mark a grim

by Arul Braighta Arulanantham Image Courtesy : Adobe Stock Introduction: Beyond Resource Romance When Salvador Allende nationalized Chile's copper mines in 1971, the world watched a peripheral nation challenge the established order of resource extraction. U.S. multinationals retreated amid accusations of excessive profits, diplomatic pressure mounted, and Chile stood defiant declaring the expropriation a "Day of National Dignity." Half a century later, another resource drama

By Abia Fathima Image courtesy: The Hindu Abstract This article examines the geopolitics of the critical mineral supply chain, which is dominated by the People's Republic of China's structural control of midstream processing and refining, holding more than 90% of global rare earth separation capacity. Beijing's strategy was formalized in 2025 with the weaponisation of export controls, most notably by applying the Foreign Direct Product Rule to rare earth magnets, claiming ju

By Balaji Chandramohan Image courtesy: DD News The recent visit of the Russian President to India as a part of the 23rd Annual Summit, India-Russia relations continue to have predominance in the strategic arena. 1 The Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership – established in 2010 and built on decades of cooperation – has maintained steady momentum through 2024–25 despite shifting global geopolitics bringing both Moscow and New Delhi together. 2 Meanwhile, since the signi

Image Courtesy: Vijesti Introduction: The concept of a “G-2”, a US–China global duopoly, has received renewed attention within both the media and strategic-policy circles over recent months. In this sense, the declaration by the U.S. President in 2025 that “THE G2 WILL BE CONVENING SHORTLY!” re-ignited speculation that Washington and Beijing might seek to reimagine global governance through a tightly knit bilateral framework. For instance, The Economic Times framed the G-2 ar

Over the past five years, Beijing’s external behaviour has moved between two striking modes: (a) aggressive, performative confrontation-  the “wolf-warrior” style of blunt threats, public shaming, trade punishments and menacing rhetoric and (b) targeted, transactional diplomacy when it serves Beijing’s material interests (trade deals, mediation and vaccine/aid outreach). The sharpest public evidence that China is behaving undiplomatically  are recent highly visible incidents

Image Courtesy: ABC News The Arctic is a polar region located at the northernmost point of Earth. What was once a frozen wasteland is now a geopolitical hotspot. The 2009 US Geological Survey report raised global interest in the region. It estimated that the region holds 13 per cent of untapped oil and 30 per cent of the world’s natural gas. The report raised global interest in the region. Subsequently, the People’s Republic of China released its Arctic policy document in 201