India

Economics

Politics

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented an annual budget to Parliament with a spending estimate of 48.21 trillion rupees (about $58 billion), 1.2% higher than February's interim budget of 47.66 trillion rupees, and a fiscal deficit target of 4.9% of gross domestic product, down from 5.1%, Reuters reported on July 23.

India: Finance Minister Presents Annual Budget

India is set to overhaul more than 200 state-run firms to boost profitability, pivoting from the aggressive privatization drive that Prime Minister Narendra Modi championed in his previous term, Reuters reported on July 12.

India: Government Halts Privatization Push

China

Nepal

Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal was ousted after 19 months in power following a vote of no confidence in which 194 lawmakers voted against him and only 63 lawmakers voted to support him, The Kathmandu Post reported on July 12.

Nepal: Prime Minister Ousted Following No-Confidence Vote

Russia

Energy

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Moscow, Russia, from July 8-9 to discuss bilateral relations and mutual areas of cooperation, including trade, energy and technology, The Times of India reported on July 10.

India, Russia: Modi and Putin To Boost Bilateral Trade

India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the budget for 2024-25 on July 23 to the lower house of Parliament, the Lok Sabha, The Economic Times reported on July 8.

India: Government To Present Budget on July 23

Om Birla, a member of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, was reelected speaker of the Lok Sabha, or lower house, through a voice vote after the position was contested instead of being chosen by consensus following recent opposition electoral gains, Reuters reported on June 26.

India: Ruling Coalition Candidate Reelected Speaker, Gandhi Chosen Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha

Bangladesh

Environment, Science & Technology

Military & Security

Science & Technology

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited India on June 21-22 and held talks with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi that resulted in the signing of multiple agreements to bolster defense and economic ties, as well as expand maritime cooperation, AP reported on June 22.

India, Bangladesh: Governments Bolster Defense, Economic, and Other Ties

On June 21-22, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit New Delhi to meet with her Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, to discuss key bilateral issues, including cross-border connectivity initiatives and trade, The Daily Star reported on June 20. 

Bangladesh, India: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina to Visit New Delhi on June 21-22

Assessments

South Africa

United States

Israel

France

Parc des Champions on July 4, 2024, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower at the Trocadero in Paris.

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

The Weekly Rundown: The Paris Olympics, Netanyahu Addresses Congress

Media

Podcasts

How will new party dynamics affect the ruling party's strategy? 

Essential Geopolitics: India's Post-Election Government

Snapshots

United Kingdom

A swarm of drones make an Indian flag in the sky over New Delhi, India, on Jan. 29, 2022.

The U.K.'s new Labour government has pledged to ink a trade deal with India after its predecessor failed to do so, but disputes over immigration and climate policies could stall progress.

With Elections Behind Them, the U.K. and India Resume Trade Talks

Japan

Ukraine

A banner reading "public services in danger, let's vote" on July 5 in Paris.

The Weekly Rundown: French Legislative Runoffs, a NATO Summit in Washington

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) greets Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) before a meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, on Dec. 6, 2021.

Modi's upcoming talks with Putin highlight strong India-Russia ties and may lead to a final agreement on expanded defense cooperation and military exchanges.

Modi's Visit to Moscow Spotlights Strong India-Russia Ties

Ethiopia

Brazil

Egypt

Iran

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Europe

A map illustrating Turkey (in red) and the BRICS countries (in blue).

Joining BRICS would underscore Turkey's balancing act between the West and the Global South, but the organization's weaknesses will limit its potential for economic growth.

For Turkey, BRICS Is Far From a Political and Economic Panacea

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi swears his oath at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the country's presidential palace, on June 9, 2024, in New Delhi, India. 

Global Elections

Modi will balance his party's priorities against coalition dynamics as the opposition continues to flounder.

The BJP's Policy Prospects Following India's General Election

Supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrate vote counting results for India's general election in Bengaluru on June 4, 2024. 

Results from India's general election indicate Modi's party will remain in power, but will fall short of an outright majority, forcing the BJP to rely on parties within its ruling coalition to govern.

India's BJP Clinches Another Term, but With a Weaker Majority

Mexico

A rally for Morena party candidate Claudia Sheinbaum on May 29 in Mexico City's Zocalo.

The Weekly Rundown: South Africa's ANC Faces a Reckoning, Mexican Voters Select a New President

People walk past campaign posters for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) outside the party's office in Leh, India, on May 17, 2024, during the country's ongoing general election.

While highly unlikely to threaten Modi's reelection, the lower turnout seen so far in the ongoing ballot means his party may not secure enough seats in parliament to unilaterally pass constitutional amendments during its next term.

India Election Update: The BJP Is Still Set To Win, But Low Turnout Dims Hopes for a Supermajority

Columns

On Geopolitics

Australia

Fiji

Indonesia

New Zealand

North Korea

Philippines

Singapore

South Korea

Vietnam

A 3D rendering of Southeast Asia from space at night with city lights showing Southeast Asian cities in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

U.S.-China Relations

In the Asia-Pacific, countries are increasingly pursuing complex networks of political, economic and defense ties as part of a burgeoning "multi-alignment" strategy that seeks to avoid U.S.-China strategic competition.

Examining 'Multi-Alignment' in the Asia-Pacific

Bharatiya Janata Party flags on April 15 in the Indian city of Raipur. If India's ruling BJP party remains in power after the country's April 19-June 1 general election, policy continuity regarding efforts to increase employment, build infrastructure and implement controversial social policies nationally that trigger social unrest can be expected. 

If the ruling party in fact wins, policy continuity regarding employment, infrastructure and controversial social policies that trigger social unrest can be expected.

India's 2024 Elections Will Likely Generate Policy Continuity

<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: Finance Minister Presents Annual Budget

India: Government Halts Privatization Push

Nepal: Prime Minister Ousted Following No-Confidence Vote

India, Russia: Modi and Putin To Boost Bilateral Trade

India: Government To Present Budget on July 23

India: Ruling Coalition Candidate Reelected Speaker, Gandhi Chosen Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha

India, Bangladesh: Governments Bolster Defense, Economic, and Other Ties

Bangladesh, India: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina to Visit New Delhi on June 21-22

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