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Balancing Development and Heritage amid Climate Crisis in Tibet
Ute Wallenböck writes how Tibet is facing an unprecedented environmental crisis that threatens its cultural and ecological heritage. She argues that international organizations and environmental activists view China’s aggressive industrialization as the primary cause of Tibet’s environmental and cultural degradation. They assert that these projects not only endanger the region’s biodiversity but also contribute to the erosion of centuries-old traditions, with the rapid melting of glaciers and depletion of sacred lakes symbolizing the conflict between Tibetan cultural preservation and state-driven development. This tension underscores the struggle to maintain cultural identity and environmental sustainability, writes Wallenböck. She further argues that Tibet can be seen as a battleground – one where environmental crisis and cultural survival intersect in a high-stakes conflict, with both the region’s natural wonders and its people’s way of life hanging in the balance. Read this piece by Ute Wallenböck here.
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Pezeshkian Aims to Strengthen Relations with Japan in All Fields
Javad Heiran-Nia writes how Iran’s view of Japan correlates to the Masoud Pezeshkian government’s view of the international order and its economic and political needs. He argues in this issue brief that the Pezeshkian administration has a post-polar view of the international order and strives for cooperation, collaboration, and networking in various fields. In this regard, East Asia is important for the new government of Iran, wherein Japan has a prominent role. The Pezeshkian administration intends to strengthen relations between Tehran and Tokyo in all fields based on a “comprehensive roadmap” by taking advantage of extensive knowledge from Japan. It will also cooperate with Tokyo to deal with regional crises jointly. In general, Japan can provide Iran’s technological needs in various fields operate in the energy sector, and play the role of a mediator in Iran-U.S. relations. Furthermore, Japan can be considered by Tehran as a balancer in Iran-China relations. This issue brief discusses how improved relations benefit both countries. Download and read this issue brief written by Javad Heiran-Nia here.
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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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Balancing Development and Heritage amid Climate Crisis in Tibet
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Pezeshkian Aims to Strengthen Relations with Japan in All Fields
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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?
Latest Publications
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 […]
Can India Advance Peace in Ukraine?
KEY TAKEAWAYS India has carefully positioned itself as a peacemaker and facilitator between Russia and Ukraine. Its approach reflects a broader geopolitical balancing act and strategic autonomy. To play an […]
Ukraine: The Inflection Point in the China-Russia Axis
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has catalyzed a profound shift in global power dynamics: the deepening of the partnership between China and Russia. This relationship, while rooted in history, represents […]
Books
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Arabs, Turks and Persians: Geopolitics and Ideology in the Greater Middle East
For decades, the Greater Middle East has been a leading challenge to American foreign policy. This vast region – ranging from North Africa in the west to Afghanistan in the […]
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The US and EU, and the Emerging Supply Chain Network: Politics, Prospects, and Allies
The Global Supply Chains have evolved from simply logistical achievements to being the bedrock of the global economy. Driven by technological advances and geopolitical shifts, this transformation underscores the critical […]
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IN DEFENSE OF THE LIBERAL INTERNATIONAL ORDER
In recent years, the geopolitical fight for global economic, diplomatic, and institutional control has acutely intensified, accentuating the crisis in the existing post-World War II Liberal International Order (LIO), championed […]
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Quad Plus and Indo-Pacific: The Changing Profile of International Relations
This book explores how the Quad Plus mechanism is set to reshape the global multilateral economic and security co-operations between Quad partner countries and the rest of the world. With […]