Prashant Shukla

  SCO 2025  Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent sojourn to Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, set against the jarring backdrop of escalating trade tensions with the United States, vividly underscores India's precarious yet purposeful position on the global stage. New Delhi finds itself at a critical inflexion point, tasked with mastering a sophisticated geopolitical tightrope walk to safeguard its economic future and strategic autonomy. The traditional paradigms of alliance and non-alignment are increasingly obsolete. India is now forging a path of "Multi-Alignment 2.0," a pragmatic and hard-nosed strategy that leverages diverse partnerships without compromising its sovereign interests. A Frosty Neighbourhood, A Necessary Forum: The China Conundrum India's relationship with China has rarely been one of easy camaraderie. The unresolved border along the Line of Actual Control remains a flashpoint, infrastructure development continues a...

Ireland is experiencing a profound demographic and economic transformation. As our population becomes increasingly diverse, the structures and cultures within our workplaces must evolve in tandem. Yet, while the moral and strategic imperatives of diversity and inclusion (D&I) are now widely acknowledged, the lived realities of ethnic minority professionals in Ireland tell a different story- one of persistent barriers, missed opportunities, and a gap between rhetoric and action. Earlier this week, I had the privilege of attending the launch of the report Fostering Ethnic Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace , commissioned by the Bank of Ireland. This document offers a vital and timely assessment of the state of diversity in Irish workplaces. It pulls no punches in its analysis and offers a vision of what could—and must—be achieved if Ireland is to remain globally competitive and socially cohesive. The Data Behind the Narrative According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), o...

A New Reality for Countries Receiving US Support: The Risk of Compromised Sovereignty in the Age of Trump's Policies As the world navigates a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape, countries traditionally relying on the United States for military, economic, and diplomatic support grapple with a new and unsettling reality, the risk of compromising their sovereignty in exchange for continued American aid. The case of Ukraine, caught in a high stakes negotiation with the Trump administration over a controversial minerals deal, offers a striking example of this dilemma. However, it is not alone. Across the globe, countries dependent on US support are now facing increasingly harsh terms, forcing them to weigh the immediate benefits of aid against the long-term erosion of their national autonomy. Under the Trump administration, US foreign policy has shifted from traditional alliances and mutual benefits towards a transactional approach driven by economic interests and geopolitical calc...