Environment
Pakistan Is Under Water. Who Is Responsible for a Disaster No One Government Caused?
Pakistan declared a national emergency this week as extraordinary monsoon rains and flooding continued across large parts of the country. More than a thousand people have reportedly died since the monsoon began, including hundreds of…
One Word Nearly Broke COP26. That Word Explains the Entire Problem.
Almost 200 countries adopted the Glasgow Climate Pact, an agreement intended to accelerate climate action during this decade and keep alive the possibility of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Governments agreed to…
Everyone Agrees Climate Change Is a Problem. That Is the Easy Part.
COP26 has produced an extraordinary collection of promises already. More than 100 countries have backed a pledge to reduce global methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels by the end of this decade. More than…
The G7 Wants to Prove That Democracies Can Still Lead the World
There were the usual photographs: leaders standing beside the sea, elbow bumps instead of handshakes, carefully arranged bilateral meetings and an enormous communiqué containing promises on everything from vaccines to climate change. But underneath all…
Negotiation Without Concessions
This week, international politics is defined by cautious engagement rather than decisive breakthroughs. I observe a recurring pattern across regions: actors signal willingness to talk, cooperate, or reform, yet remain unwilling to yield first. Diplomacy…
Climate, Credibility, and the Reassertion of Diplomacy
This week, international politics reflects a discernible shift from rupture to recalibration, as several states signal renewed commitment to multilateralism, diplomacy, and institutional authority. The most consequential development unfolds in Washington, where the inauguration of…
Small Decisions Big Repercussions
Some events fill headlines, and some barely occupy a corner of the global stage. Yet I am beginning to realise that the latter often reveal just as much about the world’s direction as the former.
The Vigilance of Small States in a Fractured World
The smallest states in the international system have always lived closest to uncertainty. Geography, resource limitations and historical vulnerability have compelled them to cultivate instincts that larger powers often notice only when consequences are already…
The Mirage of Progress
Progress is often spoken of as a linear journey, a ladder ascending toward greater knowledge, comfort, and achievement. Yet, as I reflect on the world in 2019, I realize that progress is rarely straightforward. It…
When the Sky Turns Grey, Power Turns Invisible
Some days in Mumbai, I look out the window and everything feels blurry. Not because of rain, but because the sky has turned into a quiet kind of grey. Not stormy. Just thick. Still. That’s…
