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Report of the Webinar: Climate Crisis in Tibet – Part I: CCP’s Tibet Takeover: Wither Global Climate Action?
This report is an outcome of the webinar titled “Climate Crisis in Tibet”, organized by the Stockholm Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs (SCSA-IPA) at the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP), which was held on December 18, 2024. This significant online platform brought together a distinguished panel of experts to explore the environmental and geopolitical impacts of China’s policies in Tibet. In specific, this webinar addressed a few critical questions: What is the nature and scope of the environmental degradation in the Tibetan Plateau? What is the extent and ambit of the CCP’s policies for governing Tibet that particularly impact Tibet’s environment? What are the projected objectives of the CCP vis-à-vis Tibet (e.g., development aims to end poverty)? And what is the true nature of its policy frameworks, including disinformation campaigns (e.g., via influencer management firms) and China’s persecution of Tibetan environmental activists? What has been the actual short-term and long-term impact on the Tibetan region and its people due to the CCP’s policies? Download and read this first in-series webinar report here.
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Can India Advance Peace in Ukraine?
Since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, India has worked to protect its strategic relationship with Russia while maintaining its burgeoning ties with the United States and Europe. India’s balancing act was on display earlier this year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia in July and made a historic trip to Ukraine the following month. Modi has portrayed a neutral stance on the Ukraine war and positioned India as a key player in any potential peace process. Jagannath Panda, head of the Stockholm Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs at the Institute for Security and Development Policy, examines India’s diplomacy with Russia and Ukraine, its motivations and constraints in playing a peacemaking role, and the potential response of Russia, Ukraine, and the European Union. Read this full interview of Jagannath Panda here at the USIP.
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India-Sweden Strategic Compass
As we move forward to the year 2025, India-Sweden Strategic Compass reflect on the year 2024 marked by major international events, ambitious environmental initiatives, and geopolitical challenges shaping the future of our world. India has continued to assert its global leadership through significant actions, notably at COP29 in Baku, where it strongly advocated for climate justice while criticizing the inadequate commitments of developed nations. Simultaneously, its efforts to strengthen bilateral ties—with the EU, Nordic countries, and Africa—highlight a forward-looking strategy centered on innovation and sustainability. In Europe, Sweden has heightened its civil preparedness in response to growing regional instability, distributing a practical resilience guide to its citizens. At the same time, it is conducting a complex investigation into the suspected sabotage of undersea cables, underscoring the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. There is significant scope for the bilateral relationship between India and Sweden to deepen further as both countries continue to leverage mutual strengths in trade, investment, and technology through 2024. As we enter 2025, these dynamics remind us of the importance of collective action and sustainable solutions to address the challenges of our time. We hope you enjoy this edition and wish you a new year filled with collaboration and progress. Read and download the November-December 2024 issue of India-Sweden Strategic Compass here.
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Navigating Power in Asia: Insights into Regional Order Japan’s Role as a Middle Power in Asian Diplomacy: An Interview with PROF. KEI KOGA
Kei Koga, an Associate Professor at the Public Policy and Global Affairs Programme, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), speaks to Lena Fargier of the ISDP on Japan's role as a middle power in Asian diplomacy. Prof. Koga argues that today, Japan continues to shape the regional order through informal groupings and initiatives integrating Western liberal principles into an Asian context. It prioritizes inclusive, economic, and political engagement rather than military power, fostering a cooperative and rules-based regional order. By acting as a bridge between Western values and Asian sensibilities, Japan plays a unique role in maintaining stability and promoting development across the region. Read and download this full interview here.
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Climate Meltdown in Tibet: Global Recognition Still Missing
Are the climate conditions in Tibet undergoing a crisis? Varuna Shankar writes that the Tibetan Plateau covers approximately 2 percent of the planet, the size of Western Europe, with more than half of the area over 4000 m above sea level. It is the highest and most extensive highland in the world, with as many as 46,000 glaciers, making it the third-largest ice mass in the world. This issue brief by Varuna Shankar aims to identify the importance of the Himalayan glaciers and the potential threat to the fragile mountain ecosystem in the Tibetan region. This would include the natural and anthropogenic factors responsible for its degradation in contemporary times. Furthermore, it delves into the geopolitics of ecology ingrained within it. It explores the critical role that international climate forums can play in voicing the Tibetan Plateau’s importance in preserving the global climate system. Read and download the issue brief here.
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The Trump Effect: Will India Lean Into the China Thaw in 2025?
How are the China-India ties poised for 2025 and ahead? How far will their current thaw sustain? Can the incoming Trump administration muddy the waters of the apparent China-India budding warmth in ties? Or will it be business as usual? Where does the Global South feature in this unending saga of India-China rivalry? Jagannath Panda writes that the timing of the “positive” developments in China-India ties is remarkable: amid the flourishing India-U.S. engagements and the imminent return of Donald Trump as the U.S. president. Trump has already indicated a rough trajectory ahead with Beijing, with China hawks as his national security picks. Even vis-à-vis India, Trump’s unpredictability will usher in challenges, New Delhi’s immediate uncomplicated positive reaction to the Trump victory notwithstanding. Yet, how the China-India-U.S. triangularity plays out in the coming months and years would be one of the more compelling narratives to watch out for in the regional and global landscape. Read this piece by Jagannath Panda forecasting China-India Relations in 2025 and ahead published in The Diplomat.
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Martial Law and Political Polarization: What’s in Store for South Korea?
This issue brief by Josephine Ørgaard Rasmussen and Mats Engman cover the implication of the imposition of martial law in South Korea and the emerging political polarization in the country. They write that on December 3, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared emergency martial law, shocking both the country and the rest of the world. However, the martial law was only in place for a few hours before being rescinded by the National Assembly. Yoon’s decision to impose martial law sparked protests in both civic society and the opposition, with many urging that he and his supporters accept responsibility for their actions. Following weeks of uncertainty and a lack of consistent action to deal with the fallout from the martial law debacle, the National Assembly impeached Yoon on December 14, stripping him of presidential powers while the Constitutional Court conducts an investigation. The long-term implications, both domestic and external, will be significant, as South Korea continues to face uncertainty due to radical changes in leadership, prolonged political polarization, and an unclear foreign policy direction over the next 6-12 months, write Rasmussen and Engman. Download and read this issue brief here.
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Report of the Webinar: Climate Crisis in Tibet – Part I: CCP’s Tibet Takeover: Wither Global Climate Action?
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Can India Advance Peace in Ukraine?
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India-Sweden Strategic Compass
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Navigating Power in Asia: Insights into Regional Order Japan’s Role as a Middle Power in Asian Diplomacy: An Interview with PROF. KEI KOGA
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Climate Meltdown in Tibet: Global Recognition Still Missing
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The Trump Effect: Will India Lean Into the China Thaw in 2025?
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Martial Law and Political Polarization: What’s in Store for South Korea?
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Can India Advance Peace in Ukraine?
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