UPSC Aspirant 2025-26

Must read for PSIR Optional. #IR #GS_2 #InternationalRelations

"India appears to be moving away from its "neutral" stance on the ongoing maritime disputes in the South China Sea." This brief by Premesha Saha ponders this shift: The rationale behind India's responses to the conflicts, and their implications on the country's Act East and Indo-Pacific policies. https://t.me/iv?url=https://www.orfonline.org/research/india-calibrates-its-south-china-sea-approach/&rhash=e36df4d42d3427

👉 G-7 leaders finally came around with the proposed Build Back Better World (B3W) to counter China’s rising influence across 100-plus countries through Belt Road Initiative (BRI) projects. 👉 (Imp*) The proposal, though at a nascent stage, aims to address the infrastructure investment deficit in developing and lower income countries — the space which has been increasingly captured by China's BRI. 👉 BRI projects are perceived as corrosive tactics or debt traps laid by China for its strategic dominance in trade, foreign policy and geopolitics in the world. 👉 A macro view of BRI projects across geography — quantum and pattern of investment — clearly reflects the motive of China-centric international economic integration, production networks, hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region and, eventually, the global economy. 👉 China has strategically made Kenya the African hub and plans to connect it with other land-locked countries in the region, including Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, etc. 👉 (Imp*) The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Bangladesh-China, India, the Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM) and the Colombo Port City Project in Sri Lanka, amongst others, are important BRI projects in South Asia. 👉 (Imp*) The BRI projects broadly aim to facilitate cross-border transportation of goods, access to energy, creating demand for existing excess capacity in Chinese industries. 👉 (V. Imp*) The counter proposal of B3W is certainly a welcome step to contain the adverse implications of a Chinese mega plan. However, B3W lacks coherent thoughts and proper planning at this stage.  https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/chinas-influence-g-7-leaders-belt-road-initiative-7408524/lite/