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Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
BRICS emerges as a strong geopolitical and geoeconomic entity
S D Pradhan has served as chairman of India's Joint Intelligence Committee. He has also been the country's deputy national security adviser. He was chairman of the Task Force on Intelligence Mechanism (2008-2010), which was constituted to review the functioning of the intelligence agencies. He has taught at the departments of defence studies and history at the Punjabi University, Patiala. He was also a visiting professor at the University of Illinois, US, in the department of arms control and disarmament studies. The ministry of defence had utilized his services for the preparation of official accounts of the 1971 war and the counterinsurgency operations in the northeast. In the JIC/National Security Council secretariat, he was closely involved with the preparation of the reports of the Kargil Review Committee and the Group of Ministers on national security as also with the implementation of their recommendations. His publications include two books and several articles. LESS ... MORE The recent Joint Declaration of BRICS marks a pivotal moment in the group's evolution from a coalition of emerging economies to a significant geopolitical and geoeconomic force. With the expansion to include five new members and eleven partner countries, BRICS now represents nearly half the world's population and accounts for 40% of global economic output. This transformation not only signals its growing clout but also underscores its intent to reshape the global order in favour of the Global South. Entitled 'Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance,' the declaration emphasised BRICS's commitment to multilateralism, international law, and equitable global governance. It reflects a growing confidence and a clear pushback against Western dominance in global institutions. Once perceived as a non-Western alliance, BRICS is now positioning itself as the voice of emerging markets and developing countries (EMDCs), firmly rooted in the priorities of the Global South. PM Modi has aptly called for redefining the acronym BRICS so as not to indicate the initials of the five core members but to convey a shared functional purpose of 'Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability.' This captures the group's evolving identity. A significant aspect of the Joint Declaration was its open criticism of indiscriminate use of tariffs and proliferation of trade-restrictive actions- moves largely attributed to Western economic policies. It also condemned the attack on Iran and called for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, but did not follow the Iranian line on Israel. This assertiveness reflects BRICS's increasing willingness to challenge the status quo, advocating for a fairer and more inclusive trade system. Its call for reform of global financial institutions like the World Bank and the IMF, long seen as instruments of the West, further illustrates this shift. The group's stress on multilateralism and international law was aimed at ensuring increased participation of the Global South in global decision-making processes and structures. It perceives 'the Global South as a driver of positive change.' It called for strengthening efforts to promote dialogue and consultations in pursuit of more just and equitable global governance, and of mutually beneficial relations among nations. On climate change, the group stressed that developed countries must step up with more grant-based, concessional finance, separate from existing aid, to help developing nations meet their climate goals without sacrificing poverty reduction and development priorities. The declaration covered the need for reforming the international financial architecture and stressed to enhance cooperation on all pillars of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This stance rightly insists that climate responsibilities must not come at the expense of development and poverty alleviation. It is a reminder that climate justice and equity are inseparable. On terrorism, the Joint Declaration expressed 'strong condemnation of any acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whomsoever committed.' It condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025, during which 26 people were killed and many more injured, while reaffirming its commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorism financing and safe havens- a notable move for a diverse group with differing views on counterterrorism. Prime Minister Modi's strong remarks, indirectly aimed at Pakistan and China, highlighted the need for action against cross-border terrorism and the obstruction of sanctions against listed terrorists. While BRICS avoided the logjam on countering terrorism, unlike what happened at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), China's reluctance to support this issue would remain problematic. Diplomatically, the summit showcased BRICS's ability to bridge internal divides and issue a coherent and unified statement, no small feat for a grouping with such varying national interests. Its handling of the Israel-Palestine issue, calling for a two-state solution while not aligning completely with Iran, exemplifies the group's growing maturity in international diplomacy. In sum, the 17th Summit of BRICS indicates its transformation into a strong platform for the Global South. Its expansion has strengthened its legitimacy, and its assertive tone on global economic and political issues reflects a newfound confidence. If it can manage its differences, particularly on terrorism, it is poised to emerge as a credible counterweight to the West-led global governance system. The road ahead will be complex and difficult, but the message from Brazil is unmistakable: BRICS is no longer just watching from the sidelines. It is going to play an important role in managing global affairs. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
EVN Report
3 days ago
- Business
- EVN Report
June on View
A high-stakes clash involving PM Nikol Pashinyan, the Armenian Church and oligarch Samvel Karapetyan has triggered political, religious and geopolitical tensions, with Pashinyan calling for the nationalization of Armenia's power grid amid charges of foreign interference and subversion. Read more As Armenia focuses on defense reforms aimed at deterrence, Azerbaijan intensifies its military build-up and superiority despite ongoing peace talks. Sossi Tatikyan analyzes diverging strategies, spending and alliances, highlighting how the military imbalance threatens regional stability and undermines prospects for lasting peace. Read more As Armenia reorients its foreign policy away from Russia, it is deepening ties not only with the West, but also with non-Western partners. Hovhannes Nazaretyan explores Armenia's evolving engagement with Central Asian states as part of that strategy. Read more In light of the Iran–Israel conflict, Raffy Ardhaldjian argues that civil defense is a core function of sovereignty and a tool of statecraft—less about technical fixes, more about political will. Armenian political thought, he stresses, begins with readiness, not rhetoric. Read more Exploring the Armenian-Argentine experience, Tigran Yegavian asks whether a diaspora can sustain Armenianness without a homeland, reflecting on identity, disconnection, and the enduring spirit that binds a dispersed people across generations and continents. Read more Armenia's electric vehicle market is booming, driven by import incentives and global trends. But as EV adoption accelerates, the country faces a looming challenge: how to safely recycle lithium-ion batteries in a system unprepared for hazardous waste disposal. Read more Facing limited childcare options and short parental leave, many Armenian mothers are forced to choose between career and caregiving. Hranoush Dermoyan explores the systemic failures behind Armenia's childcare crisis, and what it means for women, families and economic growth. Read more Armenia's tech sector is scaling rapidly, contributing around 7% of GDP and drawing global attention. Davit Manukyan highlights key trends from the 2025 Tech Market Insights report that reveals a complex ecosystem filled with both success stories and challenges. A critical reflection on Armenia's national pavilions at the 2025 Triennale Milano and Venice Biennale of Architecture, Maria Gunko explores how they navigate themes of heritage, technology and everyday architecture, offering contrasting visions of authenticity, identity and the politics of representation. Read more Reflecting on her own struggle with imposter syndrome, Sheila Paylan unpacks the weight of inherited trauma and the seduction of Armenian exceptionalism. Through the lens of identity and confidence, she calls for both an individual and collective shift—from needing to be seen as exceptional to doing the work of becoming truly excellent. Read more Azerbaijani activist Bahruz Samadov was imprisoned for his pro-peace stance. In this open letter, Sheila Paylan highlights the brutal cost of dissent under Azerbaijan's authoritarian regime and the moral failure of silence in the face of repression. Read more Judith Simonian's solo show at JJ Murphy Gallery in New York unveils vivid, layered canvases where absence, abstraction and narrative tension converge. Her psychologically rich, formally inventive works transform everyday scenes into uncanny meditations on memory, perception and the human subconscious. Read more World Bank senior economist Julie Rosenberg discusses Armenia's path to green growth, focusing on reducing natural gas dependency, expanding solar energy, addressing water management challenges, and implementing key policy and financing reforms outlined in the Country Climate and Development Report. The June issue of SALT explores how tradition and reinvention meet across culture, style and taste. We look at the comeback of film photography, feature a visual story of open-air ballet, visit a restaurant blending Jewish and Korean cuisines, and talk to Syrian- and Lebanese-Armenian hairdressers. Plus, an essay capturing the energy of Yerevan Wine Days.
The Spinoff
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
How do you follow up a Wellington icon like KC Cafe?
For owner and chef Michael Chan, the answer is Hei – the restaurant he always dreamed of opening. One of the many problems with modern TV cooking shows is the obsession with 'elevating' food from non-Western cultures. You'll recognise the kind of moment I mean: a contestant on Masterchef, My Kitchen Rules, or some other food-adjacent programme will announce they are cooking something from their home country's repertoire of dishes. The middling TV-man-chef will confidently announce he's not worried about flavour, but fears the dish may end up looking a bit too 'rustic'. He makes the classic error of thinking a lack of physical height in a dish is the result of a lack of skill. I do get why. So much of the world has been influenced by the French principles of cookery, and it is easy to look past a dish that does not conform to some of these ideals: height, texture, colour, placement, contrast. Of course, I love a bit of clever plating. When it's done well, it's a visual treat and helps you navigate the flavours. But do we really want our nasi goreng served in a tower, with sphericated shrimp, spring onion espuma, chilli crisp floss and 'textures of lotus root'? Actually, maybe that does sound quite fun? But probably not. When I first heard of Hei, the new 'refined' Chinese restaurant on Cuba Street, I had my worries. In a city bursting with exceptional South East Asian restaurants, who was this supposed elevation really appealing to? Then I realised it was being opened by Michael Chan and the whole family from legendary Courtenay Place eatery KC Cafe. So, I parked my cynicism, went for dinner and had a chat with Michael about opening that difficult second restaurant. Michael first thought of opening Hei during the 2020 Covid lockdown. Like all of us, he had time to lean into that vague existential dread of what he was doing and where he wanted his life to go next. The result of that panic is Hei: his dream restaurant. 'I always loved cooking, but it was a bit hard at KC as the aim for that was to just make a living for the family. I haven't really had the chance to be creative with my dishes there,' he says. Too many of the things he was dreaming up simply 'weren't really suited for KC.' He ended up with dozens of notebooks filled with more complex and playful dishes, ones that would simply clog the well-oiled machine at KC Cafe. Opening a more formal, docket-based restaurant has been no easy task. Michael had zero experience in front-of-house service; at KC the process is to 'yell out the orders' and hope for the best. And like so many in hospitality, he's had to stare down waves of self-doubt. 'It's taken this long to build up the courage to do it,' he says. 'But I wanted to model for my kids that it's OK to fail. I mean, it's not great. But you learn and adapt.' Michael's speciality has always been Chinese cookery, especially from the Guangdong region. When designing the new venture, he wanted to try to change the Kiwi mentality. 'When people think of Chinese food, I think most people think of cheap takeaways. There is so much more to the cuisine,' he says. Take, for example, the pomelo and prawn salad (fun pub fact: pomelo is officially the largest citrus fruit). It is a dizzying combination of ingredients that is at once chaotic yet purposeful: tart green apple and bitter pomelo sit among red onion and fistfuls of vibrant, fresh Asian herbs: Thai basil, coriander, lemongrass, kaffir lime. There is heat from sambal and texture from peanuts and thinly sliced red onion. It is the epitome of elegance yet demonstrably flavour-led. It is exactly what Hei is designed to be. Inspiration for his dishes is drawn from many places, from videos he saw online to meals he has eaten overseas. He works backwards from what he has seen and tasted and reverse engineers the dishes in his own style. Like the golden pork chop and rice on the lunch menu, which is a classic in Hong Kong cafes, or the fried prawn balls his son became obsessed with in Singapore. Michael tried many times to recreate them, and found they were 'delicious with chilli oil velouté.' Char siu, too, has been developed further than is traditional. Instead of its conventional luminous pink, Micahel's sits deep and earthy with black flecks where the flames have licked at its extremities. Rather than using the customary pork butt, he opted for the much leaner loin. A move that in lesser skilled hands would have proven dry, but here it is unctuous and luxurious with its citrus and honey glaze singing sweetly. Another thing that sets Hei apart is the drinks list: a showcase of biodynamic and organic wines from producers like Bryterlater in North Canterbury and Decibel Wines from Hawke's Bay. This place is certainly not a BYO. The cocktail list is just as exciting. It was made in collaboration with Dee's Place, the bar downstairs that has a very strong claim to being the best bar anywhere in the city (if you haven't been before, go there right now and ask for a whiskey and freshly juiced green apple). The drinks incorporate many of the ingredients Michael uses in his cooking – for example, the Smacked Eastside has sesame oil and coriander in it. It is this level of care that speaks to Michael's passion for delivering something unexpected in the Chinese restaurant space. All of this is not to say that any of this elevation or refinement makes it inherently better than any other Chinese restaurant in town. What makes it so compelling is that this restaurant is truly a passion project. One where every single last decision has been painstakingly made by someone who understands food and hospitality. The velouté under the prawn balls is not a gimmick; it is there because Michael is absolutely certain that is where it should be. The cut selection on the various meat dishes has been made because he knows it will work and become something special. Hei means happiness in Cantonese, and after eating there and chatting with Michael, I cannot think of a more appropriately named restaurant anywhere in the world.
Kuwait Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Kuwait Times
Syrian designer Rami Al Ali to make history at Paris Couture Week
As well as being optimistic about the future of his war-ravaged country, Rami Al Ali has other reasons to be upbeat: he is about to become the first Syrian fashion designer to show his work at Paris Haute Couture Week. The invitation to appear on the world's most prestigious fashion stage is a huge endorsement for the 53-year-old from the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor who turned to design after a childhood admiring his architect father's drawings. Now, following years of dressing A-listers from Oscar winner Helen Mirren to Beyonce as well as Middle Eastern royals, Ali is rubbing shoulders with the biggest names in the industry. 'Nervous, excited, tired, happy,' he told AFP when asked how he felt as he prepared models for his debut Paris Couture show on Thursday. 'It's a mix of very overwhelming feelings.' After studying in Damascus, Al Ali left for Dubai as a young man in search of opportunities in the fashion industry, working initially for two regional brands. He branched out on his own in 2001, building a regional fanbase for his eponymous brand from the United Arab Emirates before creating a following in Europe, including via shows in Paris outside the official Fashion Week calendar from 2012. The invitation this year from France's prestigious Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode places him in a new elite category that is increasingly diverse. Syrian fashion designer Rami Al Ali works in his studio in Dubai.--AFP photos Syrian traditions 'It's a definitely big credit... to be acknowledged, to be authenticated, to be endorsed,' he explained. Other non-Western designers such as Imane Ayissi, the sole sub-Saharan African at Couture Week, have hailed the French federation's openness. 'It shows that things are changing, that things are moving forward,' former model Ayissi told AFP this week. Al Ali's new collection of couture dresses -- he also produces two lines of ready-to-wear per year -- has been inspired like most of his work by his Syrian heritage and includes input from the country's Craft Council. 'I built from my heritage, from my background, from where I was based, also in the Middle East, in Dubai, all of those combined together created the form and the DNA of the brand,' he explained. Given an appreciation of tradition from his historian mother, Al Ali draws on the design aesthetics of Damascus, Aleppo and Palmyra in particular. 'You don't see them anywhere else, and those are the ones that I'm trying as much as I can every time to bring back to life,' he added. One of his dresses in Thursday's collection features elaborate sculptural patterns made from rolled off-white crepe fabric that has been stitched by hand in a process that took an estimated 300 hours of work. As part of the Couture Week calendar, he has joined other non-Western designers as the formerly. Creative freedom Beyond the catwalks and glitz of the fashion world, Al Ali also attempted to support Syrian artists through the country's nearly 14-year civil war via a charity initiative called Ard Dyar. The fall of former president Bashar al-Assad in December, which led to the rise of rebel-turned-transitional leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa, has given Ali cause for optimism about his homeland's future. Several Western governments have lifted sanctions on Syria as Sharaa, a formerly Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist, attempts to fully pacify the country and rebuild. 'We called the collection the 'Guardian of Light', and it came also at a time that is very hopeful, very promising,' Al Ali told AFP. 'I think many great things will come to light very soon.' After decades of Syria being a byword for violence and political oppression, Ali hopes that artists will now help highlight the country's rich history and design culture. 'I think now we have much more freedom in expressing ourselves in all different aspects, political, humanitarian, creative. We have a lot to say, and definitely we are bolder, braver in the way we express it,' he said.—AFP
Yomiuri Shimbun
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
In Expanding Trade War, Trump Digs U.S. into a Geopolitical Hole
On Monday, the White House launched new salvos in its widening trade wars. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs of between 25 percent and 40 percent on imports from 14 countries, including Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Bangladesh, unless they address his concerns over perceived bilateral trade imbalances. The renewed tariff threats went down like a lead balloon in capitals across the world, including among some of the U.S.'s closest allies. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba described the developments as 'deeply regrettable.' His colleague, Itsunori Onodera, policy chief for Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said Trump's decision 'to notify a key ally with nothing more than a single letter is extremely disrespectful, and I feel a strong sense of indignation.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio's decision to drop stops this week in Tokyo and Seoul during a quick Asia trip underscored the fresh tensions. Various governments fitfully tried to hash out new understandings with the Trump administration to stave off the threatened tariffs. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that the 30 percent tariff Trump sought to impose on his country as a 'reciprocal' measure was 'not an accurate representation of available trade data.' Thailand's acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, bemoaned the 'contradiction' as Trump's latest edict seemed to undo the progress made amid trade talks just last week. Over the weekend, Trump also lashed out at the BRICS grouping of non-Western powers, threatening its 10 members and other partner states with additional tariffs because of the bloc being supposedly 'anti-American.' Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was hosting a BRICS leaders' summit in Rio de Janeiro, rebuffed Trump's bullying. 'The world has changed. We don't want an emperor,' Lula said, adding: 'This is a set of countries that wants to find another way of organizing the world from the economic perspective. I think that's why the BRICS are making people uncomfortable.' Trump had threatened 100 percent tariffs on the BRICS countries – which include putative Washington adversaries in Russia, China, and Iran, but also close partners such as India – if the bloc pursued attempts to break the global influence of the U.S. dollar. Some members had offered vague proposals for a new common currency to undercut dollar dominance, but the project has not got off the ground amid frictions within the bloc and wariness of courting Washington's wrath. Nonetheless, Celso Amorim, Lula's chief foreign policy adviser, said Trump's new threat 'reinforces the willingness of [BRICS] members and associated partners to chart our path and seek greater independence.' That's a calculation other U.S. allies are making as well. On a visit to Britain, French President Emmanuel Macron warned of Europe's overreliance on the United States and China. 'If we want to build a sustainable future for all children [we have] to de-risk our economies and our societies from these dual dependencies,' he said. France wants 'an open world,' Macron added, gesturing to the 'strategic autonomy' for the continent that he has long championed. 'We want to cooperate, but not to depend.' The frustrations and concerns being aired by world leaders are borne out by public sentiment. A Pew poll published Tuesday found that a significant proportion of citizens of U.S. allies see Trump's America in a gloomy light. Majorities in Canada and Mexico view their neighbor as the 'greatest threat' facing their country, marking significant increases since a similarly worded survey in 2019. Further afield, more than a third of South Africans, 40 percent of Indonesians, 30 percent of all Turks, and almost a fifth of respondents in Japan – a treaty ally protected by U.S. forces – also singled the United States out for the singular threat it posed. Trump and his allies cast their trade wars as a necessary effort to restructure global trade and bring more manufacturing home. Whatever the merits of their case, analysts see their approach as potentially damaging to the geopolitical interests of the United States. 'The president is determined to light a fire under those trading partners who he thinks are not moving fast enough,' Wendy Cutler, vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute and a former U.S. trade negotiator, told my colleagues. 'But to hit two of our closest allies [Japan and South Korea] with high tariffs – particularly when we have benefited from cooperation with them on semiconductors and energy and chip building, and when their companies invest a lot in the United States – it is hard for me to circle the square here.' 'Many in Asia are going to ask, 'Is this how the U.S. treats its friends?'' Manu Bhaskaran, chief executive of Centennial Asia Advisors, a research firm, told the New York Times. 'Will there be permanent damage to American standing and interests in Asia and elsewhere through these crude threats and unpleasant language?' Oliver Stuenkel, an associate professor of international relations at the Getulio Vargas Foundation in São Paulo, said Trump's broadsides against the BRICS shook up a rather sleepy summit that various heads of state, including the Russian and Chinese presidents, had chosen to skip. The bloc had put out a careful joint statement that expressed disapproval of Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza and concern over the strikes on Iran, but did not call out U.S. involvement in either instance. 'Trump's attack was counterproductive,' Stuenkel told me. 'If his intention was to make countries move away from BRICS, I think that's probably not going to work out.' Instead, Trump's antagonism might provide more impetus for the bloc's diverse membership to find genuine common cause. 'The rank unilateralism and casual abandonment of international law when it comes to regions such as the Middle East and arenas such as global trade call for a stabilizing countercurrent that can strengthen norms of cooperation,' wrote Sarang Shidore, director of the Global South program at the Quincy Institute, a Washington think tank. 'Global South states, as weaker actors, rely even more on international cooperation in their attempts to achieve security and prosperity for their people.' During the Cold War and its initial aftermath, the United States worked with a host of partners to strengthen 'a community of shared values, compatible political ideals, international institutions and mutual support within those institutions,' wrote Andrea Oelsner, a professor of international relations at San Andrés University in Argentina. 'In recent months, the Trump administration has sharply eroded the country's credibility with these friends,' she added. 'And credibility and trust are much more easily destroyed than built … never mind rebuilt.'
