This India-EU special series features contributions from scholars in the Department of Science, Technology and Policy Studies, School of Language and Literature/Humanities, Nalanda University, Bihar, India.
The India–US trade dispute is no longer just about tariffs. It is increasingly about whether access to America's market entails expectations of alignment with America's foreign policy.
The ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the US extends beyond the battlefield, disrupting air travel, shipping, energy markets, and sports in the Middle East. Events like Formula One were canceled, MotoGP postponed, and Iranian sports faced restrictions.
On April 10, 2026 (U.S. time), corresponding to April 11 in India, the Artemis II mission concluded successfully with the return of the Orion crew module Integrity. Over ten days, four astronauts completed a crewed lunar flyby, traveling to the Moon and back. Beyond its technical accomplishments, the mission marks a historic inflection point, the revival of human deep-space exploration after more than five decades since the Apollo era.
Water has long played a multifaceted role in warfare, serving as a weapon, a target, a strategic lever, and a life-sustaining resource. It is indispensable not only for drinking but also for maritime security and economic stability. In early March 2026, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused Israel of targeting desalination facilities on Qeshm Island, a claim Israel denied.
To begin with, managing freshwater, the elixir of life, has once again been put at the top of the unresolved scheme of the world. Several conferences, workshops and hybrid consultations are being organised to set the agenda for the Third UN Water Conference to be held in early December this year in the UAE. Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly sponsored the International Water Decade, designed to galvanise collaborative action on water-related challenges, which ends in 2028 and is largely off track.
When military operations commence, missiles and bombs are deployed, and alliances are scrutinized; silence can indeed be more profound than the roar of weaponry and air raid sirens. In the escalating conflict involving Iran, the most notable sound in international politics may not be the loudness of fighter jets, but rather the relative silence from two of Tehran’s purported strategic partners, namely Russia and China.
Amid sustained criticism of the failure of multilateralism, the first quarter of the 21st century has seen multilateral organizations expand in both scope and mandate.
Since its inception in 1901, the Nobel Peace Prize has primarily recognised contributions to four broad areas: arms control and disarmament, peace negotiations, the advancement of democracy and human rights, and efforts to build a more orderly and peaceful international system. In the 21st century, the Nobel Committee has also expanded its scope to include initiatives addressing climate change and environmental threats, viewing them as integral to global peace and stability.