By Kalinga Seneviratne BANGKOK, Thailand | 8 Dec 2025 (IDN)– By unveiling an ambitious Economic Cooperation Program aimed at expanding bilateral trade and investment till 2030, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a clear message to the US President Donald Trump that India-Russia relations are iron-clad, no matter what […]
Can Global Climate Diplomacy Still Deliver?
COP30 and the Amazon Reckoning This article was first published on https://rjaura.substack.com By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | 28 November 2025 (IDN) — When world leaders arrived in Belém for COP30 on 10 November, the symbolism was clear. Delegates entered a city where the air is thick with humidity, the scent of river mud blends with […]
Hiroshima Takes Centre Stage Again
Time for Peace, Dialogue and Nuclear Disarmament By Ramesh Jaura This article was first published on https://rjaura.substack.com BERLIN | 24 November 2025 (IDN) — At a moment of rising nuclear danger, scientists, diplomats, and a global Buddhist community converged on Hiroshima and Tokyo in search of a different future for humanity. From 1 to 5 […]
Doha Summit Ends With Call To Turn Social Pledges Into Action
By UN News DOHA, Qatar | 7 November 2025 (IDN) — Speaking at the closing press conference, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said the Summit marked a “deliberate shift” from identifying gaps to acting on proven solutions. “Copenhagen taught us 30 years ago that social development and inclusion are essential for strong societies,” she said. “We […]
Festering conflict between Church and government in Armenia
By Benoit Lannoo* Antwerp | 5 November 2025 (IDN) – While President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan is ramping up his claim to the neighbouring country again, the conflict in Armenia between the government of Nikol Pashinyan and the Armenian Apostolic Church continues to fester. In recent weeks, Garegin II celebrated the 26th anniversary of his […]
East Timor Joins ASEAN — and Now Comes the Hard Part
Challenges and hopes for prosperity and stability. By Ramesh Jaura This article first appeared on https://rjaura.substack.com BERLIN | 3 November 2025 (IDN) — It took half a century, two foreign occupations, a UN peacekeeping mission, and one of the most extraordinary independence struggles of the modern era. But on 26 October 2025, East Timor — […]
Wars on Women Escalate as Global Conflicts Surge
A landmark UN report sounds the alarm This article was first published on https://rjaura.substack.com BERLIN | 25 October 2025 (IDN) — When we think about war and peace, we often picture men in uniforms, generals in strategy rooms, and presidents at podiums. But around the world, it’s women who are bearing the brunt of war […]
From Food Aid to Free Trade: Europe Courts India — With Caveats
Brussels Has Yet to Learn Lessons This article first appeared on https://rjaura.substack.com By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | 22 October 2025 (IDN) —Since the 1960s, India has prioritised strategic autonomy in its foreign policy, consistently avoiding alliances that could compromise its sovereignty. Western partners often overestimate their influence, overlooking India’s strong commitment to independence. For India, autonomy […]
How Island Nations Are Rewriting Climate Finance
Caribbean states are pioneering bold financial reforms to survive climate change. This article was first published on https://rjaura.substack.com BERLIN | 18 October 2025 (IDN) — When hurricanes strike the Caribbean, they leave behind more than just destruction. They also leave debt. Small island developing states (SIDS) often have to borrow large sums at high interest […]
Germany Redefines Development Cooperation with the Global South
A Legacy of Nobel Peace Laureate Willy Brandt By Ramesh Jaura This article was first published on https://rjaura.substack.com BERLIN | 14 October 2025 (IDN) — More than forty years ago, former German Chancellor Willy Brandt—winner of the 1971 Nobel Peace Prize—warned that prosperity in the North and hardship in the South were two sides of […]