The doors of President Trump’s second term opened with full force, raising eyebrows and ruffling feathers both domestically and abroad. In less than one hundred days, one hundred executive orders were passed in the newly redecorated Oval Office, aiming to fulfill the administration’s “America First” promises. Three of these executive orders issued tariffs against China, Mexico, and Canada, backed by the nascent usage of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Despite suspensions and fervent economic fears, China and Canada retaliated with tariffs on agricultural products and energy respectively, sparking international concerns over a potential trade war. Amidst this backdrop of butted heads and gritted teeth, the gaudy Air India One touched down on American soil on February 12, 2025, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Washington to discuss the future of relations with the United States.

Bhutan, situated between India and China, is nicknamed the “Hidden Kingdom,” given the lack of attention it receives from the media and policymakers abroad. However, a few weeks ago, Bhutan appeared in the news cycle for an odd reason: the American travel ban. This incident highlights the need for Bhutan to consider establishing formal diplomatic relations with the U.S. Having an embassy in Washington D.C will make it easier to handle these types of issues going forward.

On November 5, 2024, Donald Trump was reelected the next president of the United States. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated “his friend” for winning reelection on X (Formerly Twitter). However, regardless of the cordial personal rapport between the two leaders, a Trump presidency has the potential to create issues for India, including human rights, China, Russia, and Iran, many of which stem from Trump’s erratic personality.

Modi's France visit highlights Indo-French strategic ties, shared objectives of autonomy, historical links, and economic ties. France’s acceptance of India’s diverging stance towards Russia reaffirms the importance of bilateral diplomacy over multilateralism.

On January 1st, 2024, Ethiopia officially joined BRICS, after being invited in August 2023. BRICS (named after its founding members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) is an intergovernmental organization that can be broadly understood as a political and economic counterweight to Western-dominated organizations like the OECD, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. What does this mean for Ethiopia and how will this benefit the BRICS nations?

As India continues to compete as an international superpower, development across different regions of the nation have reflected the immense growth of the nation. Cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi have witnessed the creation of hundreds of new startups and millions of venture capital dollars flowing into their regions. However, a black sheep contender for “golden child” of the Indian Subcontinent, must go to the city of Hyderabad. Hyderabad (and the greater state of Telangana) has taken numerous steps to create a strong foundation for long-term success, and this can be seen in three key areas: Community & Government Buy-In, A Developing Educational System, and the Creation of Vital Onramps for Development.

In this talk with Dr. Deepa Ollapally, Dr. Ajay Chhibber, and Dr. Pradeep Rau, we delve into the factors that have given India great economic growth in recent years, as well as the obstacles that have caused its severe economic challenges today. By analyzing the current state of politics and development on the subcontinent and India’s place in the global market, we will discuss how the Indian economy may evolve in the coming decade.