At a time when global trade tensions are escalating in Taiwan and the AI threat is overshadowing the world, the USA’s tilt in the Eastern Hemisphere points toward China’s growing global impact. The Iran-US war has surely caused a dent in China’s economic progress, but ideologically and politically it has gained an upper hand.
As BRICS countries seek to enhance institutional and legal cooperation among economies of the Global South, India hosted the third meeting of the BRICS Justice Ministers in Ahmedabad on May 21 and 22, 2026, with a growing focus on alternative dispute resolution mechanisms as a cornerstone for supporting investment and economic stability.
As global multilateralism faces growing strain and major international institutions encounter challenges, regional cooperation frameworks such as BIMSTEC are gaining renewed relevance. Bringing together seven countries of the Bay of Bengal region, BIMSTEC provides a focused platform to address shared developmental and security challenges through efficient consensus-building and practical cooperation. Anchored in the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030, the grouping is steadily strengthening institutional mechanisms and expanding collaboration across key sectors including trade, connectivity, energy, disaster management, and security, positioning itself as an important bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia.
The Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi highlighted the growing strategic importance of Indo-Pacific cooperation amid rising geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. With a strong emphasis on maritime security, resilient supply chains, and regional connectivity, Japan emerged as a leading voice advocating deeper strategic coordination and a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” vision among democratic partners.
The 3rd India–Nordic Summit held in Oslo (May 19–20, 2026) marked a significant step in strengthening cooperation between India and Nordic countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral discussions with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, and Iceland Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, focusing on green energy, innovation, digital technologies, and the blue economy. The summit also underscored a shared commitment to elevating India–Nordic relations into a Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership aimed at advancing sustainable development and climate-focused global collaboration.
The meeting of foreign ministers from the BRICS group of nations commenced in the Indian capital, New Delhi, against the backdrop of the repercussions of the US-Israeli war on Iran and the resulting pressure on global energy markets.
H.E. Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary General of BIMSTEC, participated in the 21st Asia Media Summit 2026 in Malé (11–14 May), where discussions focused on digital transformation, AI in media, misinformation, and regional media cooperation. He highlighted the importance of responsible journalism and strategic communication in strengthening regional connectivity, advancing BIMSTEC cooperation, and promoting sustainable and inclusive development across member states.
In 1980s John Gerard Ruggie explains multilateralism is coordination among three or more than three nations on the basis of generalized principle of conduct.
The Gulf crisis is often framed as a contest of oil markets and great power rivalry. Yet its most immediate and destabilizing consequences are felt far beyond the Gulf itself—particularly in South Asia. For Pakistan, the crisis is not distant; it is immediate.
With the escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the outbreak of military confrontations linked to the war with Iran, India finds itself facing a delicate diplomatic test of its ability to manage its complex network of international relations in one of the world’s most sensitive regions—a region of paramount strategic importance to its economic and security interests.
