BRICS

China’s second Belt and Road may be built on AI

Al lies at the heart of China’s second Belt and Road. The Global South provides users, workloads, scale and revenues that flow through the Chinese AI stack and help finance its next climb up the technology ladder. Researcher Hao Nan explains.

Hao Nan

05 Oct 2026

From iPhones to borders: India’s real China dilemma

India-China relations are still marked by deep distrust, but both sides see common interest in working towards better ties along three fronts: trade, investment and boundary issues, says Indian researcher Amit Kumar.

Amit Kumar

30 Sep 2026

BRICS must implement what it proposes

As long as BRICS cannot find a way to set implementation rules for its proposals, it can only target low-hanging fruit such as collaboration in health and food security, says ISAS academic Amitendu Palit.

Amitendu Palit

17 Sep 2026

BRICS is built on economic grievance, not geopolitics

The wrong question to ask about BRICS is its geopolitical coherence. Instead, the right one is how far it has pursued its reform agenda and utilised its own tools, says Indian researcher Anushka Saxena.

Anushka Saxena

14 Sep 2026

Xi Jinping’s tech diplomacy meets harsh realities of BRICS

BRICS is gaining cohesion, but internal divisions remain. As it seeks a bigger global role, China is using AI cooperation to expand its network of partners, promote its standards and gain an edge over the US. Lianhe Zaobao China news correspondent Edwin Ong reports.

Edwin Ong

14 Sep 2026

Why Xi is looking far beyond Washington

Xi Jinping’s diplomatic sprint ahead of his next meeting with Donald Trump sends a clear message: managing ties with Washington matters, but China’s world extends far beyond the US. Lianhe Zaobao China news editor Yang Danxu finds out.

Yang Danxu

02 Sep 2026

Has China really ‘won’ in the Iran war? 

The Iran war has boosted China’s leverage in the energy sector and deepened its commercial presence in the Gulf. But states in the region want China to be a more proactive stakeholder, a role Beijing may not be ready to take on, says researcher Jing Lin.

Jing Lin

30 Jul 2026

Who governs food security now? Why Beijing’s answer matters most

Global food governance is increasingly dispersed across overlapping institutions and frameworks. Few countries are better positioned than China to bridge them, but whether Beijing chooses to do so remains the defining question, says researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May.

Genevieve Donnellon-May

10 Jul 2026

Shocks to shields: How India fortifies itself against a turbulent world

Hedging comes at a cost, but it is a price India may have to pay as it gets constricted by US transactionalism, two-front security pressure, Pakistan’s strategic rehabilitation and China’s institutional penetration of South Asia. Academic Hao Nan analyses the situation. 

Hao Nan

02 Mar 2026

India counters Trump pullback with FTAs, e-rupee

India has long been working hard at diversification, with recent high-profile gains like the EU-India FTA. With its efforts to widen the use of the e-rupee and increase BRICS interoperability in digital currencies, it may be upping its game. ISAS academic Amitendu Palit shares his views.

Amitendu Palit

20 Feb 2026

Caution and calculus: How India sees China in 2026

As India heads into 2026, it balances diplomacy and vigilance with China. Past strategic moves have fostered a trust deficit, making Delhi cautious even as both nations seek engagement and regional influence, says Indian academic Rishi Gupta.

Rishi Gupta

20 Jan 2026

No one has a plan for Iran

With protests engulfing Iran, the US considers its next move, China holds back and the population has no clear path forward. Could this unrest quietly reshape the regime? Academic Alessandro Arduino analyses the issue.

Alessandro Arduino

14 Jan 2026