Commentary

Find our newspaper columns, blogs, and other commentary pieces in this section. Our research focuses on Advanced Biology, High-Tech Geopolitics, Strategic Studies, Indo-Pacific Studies & Economic Policy

High-Tech Geopolitics, Indo-Pacific Studies Arindam Goswami High-Tech Geopolitics, Indo-Pacific Studies Arindam Goswami

Firstpost | Agentic AI: The next frontier in artificial intelligence

By Arindam Goswami

Agentic artificial intelligence follows the natural evolution of AI and a logical technological trajectory. These are new types of systems that can proactively identify problems, create plans, and execute complex tasks across digital environments with minimal human supervision. Regulatory response to these developments has to keep up.

By Arindam Goswami

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High-Tech Geopolitics, Indo-Pacific Studies Arindam Goswami High-Tech Geopolitics, Indo-Pacific Studies Arindam Goswami

Moneycontrol | From Technological Rivalry to Global Governance: The path forward

By Arindam Goswami

The current geopolitical landscape is shaped by technological nationalism, driven by competition in AI and semiconductors. However, game theory and historical examples suggest that this phase will evolve into co-operative frameworks, balancing national interests with global technological cooperation

By Arindam Goswami

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High-Tech Geopolitics Arindam Goswami High-Tech Geopolitics Arindam Goswami

Firstpost | How Trump’s tariffs can be opportunity in crisis for India

By Arindam Goswami

While Trump’s tariffs aren’t designed to help India, they may inadvertently provide the external catalyst needed for India’s economic transformation. Sometimes, the most valuable gifts come in the most unexpected packages.

The Donald Trump administration’s recent imposition of tariffs on Indian goods could have a silver lining if India can seize the opportunity. In conditions reminiscent of the 1991 crisis that opened up India’s economy, India could use this opportunity for its long-overdue economic transformation by fostering a more export-oriented economy. This is an opportunity to shift the domestic Overton window on protectionism, albeit under pressure.

By Arindam Goswami

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High-Tech Geopolitics, Indo-Pacific Studies Arindam Goswami High-Tech Geopolitics, Indo-Pacific Studies Arindam Goswami

Moneycontrol | Lessons from China's support for local startups — a path to innovation for India

By Arindam Goswami

China's local governments drive innovation through fiscal autonomy, incentives, and policy experimentation. India can adopt similar reforms by enhancing fiscal power, creating innovation zones, and aligning municipal leaders’ incentives with startup growth to foster a competitive, innovative economy

By Arindam Goswami

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High-Tech Geopolitics, Indo-Pacific Studies Arindam Goswami High-Tech Geopolitics, Indo-Pacific Studies Arindam Goswami

Indian Express | The colonial era of AI is here — India must chart its own course

By Arindam Goswami

The Paris AI Action Summit, with its impressive array of declarations and initiatives, could not mask a deeper geopolitical reality: We have entered the colonial era of artificial intelligence, where corporate sovereignty increasingly trumps national sovereignty, and global governance and ethics have been put on the backburner while still being paid lip service. The final declaration by the real power players— the US and the UK — speaks volumes. They are the tech giants who have effectively colonised the digital frontier.

By Arindam Goswami

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High-Tech Geopolitics Arindam Goswami High-Tech Geopolitics Arindam Goswami

Firstpost | Paris AI Summit: How Indo-French partnership can be a rule maker for future innovations

By Arindam Goswami

As co-chair of the AI Action Summit in Paris, India, under the prime ministership of Narendra Modi, has the opportunity to kickstart a new chapter in global technological cooperation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has a pervasive impact across different sectors. In that sense, it is a general-purpose technology (GPT), to borrow the term from Jeffrey Ding’s GPT Diffusion Theory, which promises to reshape various sectors. Nations are grappling with both its enormous potential and inherent challenges. Now is the time to come together and collaborate on setting a strong foundation for the years to come.

With its considerable experience in building and running a vast digital public infrastructure, coupled with a workforce that has proven expertise in software development, India could become an important voice in the global AI discourse

By Arindam Goswami

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High-Tech Geopolitics, Indo-Pacific Studies Arindam Goswami High-Tech Geopolitics, Indo-Pacific Studies Arindam Goswami

Firstpost | Creative insecurity: What India can learn from Chinese DeepSeek saga

By Arindam Goswami and Shobhankita Reddy

DeepSeek benefitted from a supportive structural Chinese research and development ecosystem that existed for several decades. Also, Xi Jinping’s vision for a ‘Chinese Dream’ and national rejuvenation is rooted in technological supremacy

By Arindam Goswami and Shobhankita Reddy

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High-Tech Geopolitics Anushka Saxena High-Tech Geopolitics Anushka Saxena

Life of Soldiers | Anti-Submarine Warfare: Doctrine and Capabilities of the PLA Navy

By Anushka Saxena

At the recently concluded Zhuhai Airshow in Guangdong, China, a new unmanned combat vessel of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), the ORCA, made its debut as part of the Asian giant’s naval arsenal. As official sources highlighted, this 500-tonne displacement high-speed stealth unmanned surface combat vessel, equipped with a diesel-electric dual-mode propulsion system, is capable of performing a host of tasks including Beyond-Visual-Range (BVR) fire strike, and air and missile defense. But perhaps what is most interesting, is its reported ability to perform anti-submarine search and strike autonomously. If true, the PLAN may just be ushering in a transformed era for China’s undersea warfare capabilities.

By Anushka Saxena

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High-Tech Geopolitics, Indo-Pacific Studies Arindam Goswami High-Tech Geopolitics, Indo-Pacific Studies Arindam Goswami

StratNews Global | China’s R&D Engine: Technology Diffusion Seamlessly Across Sectors

By Arindam Goswami

China's giant strides in developing cutting-edge technologies and ensuring these are disseminated where they are needed, is a tribute to the scientific eco-system they have evolved.

Massive investment, a deliberate alignment of, and removal of barriers between military and civilian research, and a clear commitment to becoming the global leader in critical technologies are vital characteristics of China’s S&T ecosystem.

It is a whole-system approach, which also focuses on building the requisite skill infrastructure, and recognises the capacity of General Purpose Technologies (GPTs) to increase economic productivity, and thereby, military prowess, by the process of diffusion into pervasive use in a wide range of activities and sectors.

By Arindam Goswami

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Indo-Pacific Studies Amit Kumar Indo-Pacific Studies Amit Kumar

ThinkChina | Is India warming up to Chinese investment?

By Amit Kumar

China’s investments in India, historically underwhelming, have dropped further with India’s fears of China’s “opportunistic takeovers”, says Indian researcher Amit Kumar. But a more favourable Indian public discourse towards Chinese investments and the potential for win-win benefits could turn things around.

By Amit Kumar

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Indo-Pacific Studies Manoj Kewalramani Indo-Pacific Studies Manoj Kewalramani

Money Control | India-China equation reset is at a new normal, not the old one

By Manoj Kewalramani

Power asymmetry between the two countries and the likelihood of just a limited easing in the trade relationship make going back to pre-2020 phase impossible. Moreover, there’s no evidence of a dialogue yet on next step towards de-escalation. Keep your fingers crossed and expectations contained

By Manoj Kewalramani

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Indo-Pacific Studies Anushka Saxena Indo-Pacific Studies Anushka Saxena

Money Control | China-Taiwan Tensions: A shift in cross-Strait policy language 

By Anushka Saxena

China's military exercises highlight regional tensions as Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te asserts sovereignty. His recent remarks signal a policy shift, encouraging potential cooperation with Beijing, despite ongoing tensions. Lai’s statements challenge China’s role as a peace broker in global conflicts.

By Anushka Saxena

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Indo-Pacific Studies Manoj Kewalramani Indo-Pacific Studies Manoj Kewalramani

Money Control | Quad, through Chinese lens

By Manoj Kewalramani

Chinese opinions on the Quad converge on one point, that it’s a US-led tool of containment. However, there are mixed opinions on the effectiveness of the wider Quad agenda. On India, Chinese portrayal depicts the country as an opportunistic and wavering partner of the US 

By Manoj Kewalramani

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