India
Finding the right approach to India as a “Civilisational State”
Over the last few weeks Australia’s newly intimate diplomatic relationship with India has been on full display. The “Raisina at Sydney” component of the 2023 Raisina dialogues was…
Getting India right
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to India this week comes at a pivotal moment for Australia’s ties with that country. Over the past 15 years, the two have overcome decades…
Will India’s G20 deliver more than hot air?
Some years ago I interviewed a senior Indian bureaucrat who, as small talk, lamented the G20 and the utter waste of time it was (“all those air miles, and for what? Nothing is…
India’s defence-diplomacy bet
The reported visit by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Australia, scheduled for late February, is indicative of the convergence of India’s diplomatic, commercial and…
The Maldives: geopolitics of Chinese tourism
For the decade prior to Covid-19, China was the Maldives' biggest source of tourism. The pandemic changed all that, with arrivals dropping from 284,000 in 2019 to 34,000 in 2020…
With caution and tact: How Asian countries voted on Ukraine at the UN
On 26 February last year, a few days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations issued a statement expressing “concern’’ over the “evolving…
The big picture: five lessons for five years of the Asia Power Index
This morning we released the 2023 edition of the Lowy Institute Asia Power Index. This data-driven assessment measures national resources and international influence to determine…
Towards meaningful Quad cooperation on intelligence
The Quad has a lot on its plate. The informal grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the United States began modestly, but stepped up its ambition two years ago, with regular…
Pop culture politics: How to Interpret 2022
Missed the headline? Hollywood star Angelina Jolie is stepping down after more than 20 years as ambassador for the UN refugee agency. It’s fine, because India’s celebrities are…
A focused direction for the Quad
The Quad, a “minilateral” grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the United States has made a recent resurgence. First initiated in 2007, the Quad was abandoned until 2017 when…