Commentary

1. Executive Summary The current trajectory of the Iran conflict points toward continued escalation rather than near-term de-escalation, with both Washington and Tehran operating from positions of overconfidence and widening maximalist demands. The United States appears focused on coercive pressure aimed at capitulation rather than traditional negotiation, while Iran — despite military setbacks — believes […]

For businesses, the EU’s CBAM is increasing compliance burdens and financial obligation, but it is also opening green tech and supply-chain opportunities.  In January 2026, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) moved from a transitional carbon reporting regime to enforcement with real financial and compliance consequences for exporters.   As free allowances under the EU

Key Takeaways Oil pricing and supply disruptions are China’s top economic risks amid conflict in the Middle East. Half of the country’s oil imports flow through the Strait of Hormuz, and high fuel prices would put pressure on China’s consumption stimulus goals and continued reliance on manufacturing. However, China is relatively well-positioned to mitigate acute

Overview Last week, New Delhi hosted the India AI Impact Summit 2026, a five-day global convening on AI that drew unprecedented international participation from stakeholders across the board including governments, multilateral organizations, and members from the civil society and industry. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurated the Summit on February 19, marking it as

The Supreme Court, on February 20, ruled that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority by imposing sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The decision will have major implications on the Trump administration’s economic policymaking, the United States’ relationships with trading partners, the dynamic between the executive and the legislature, and for

What Happened Earlier today, the India AI Summit’s third day centered on connecting research with real-world applications through the Research Symposium on AI and its impact. With IIIT-Hyderabad as the knowledge partner, the symposium convened leading academics, researchers, think tanks, and policymakers from India, the Global South, and the wider international community. The discussions focused

To understand the future of AI, businesses should look at not just to boardrooms, but crowded, multilingual, entrepreneurial spaces of the Global South. New Delhi’s AI Summit will reflect that energy and innovation in governance models.  Over the past decade, India has grown progressively more confident in articulating its own vocabulary of technological and economic governance.

In December 2025, The Asia Group (TAG) launched its inaugural GeoCommercial Strategy survey[i] to develop an understanding of how geopolitical trends are affecting and shaping business. The survey focused not just on what is affecting business but how businesses are responding and thinking about the future. These are the top five takeaways for the road

“The old world is gone, clearly. But what is the new world? We don’t know yet,” said Zhu Min, a well-respected Chinese economist and former deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund. Zhu made the comment when asked about his impressions of the World Economic Forum, held last week in Davos, Switzerland. This year,

As winter snows begin to melt along the Himalayas this spring, Indian and Chinese troops will once again start actively patrolling their respective positions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) — the 2500-mile disputed boundary line between the two Asian neighbors. The disputed LAC — and the strategic mistrust it symbolizes — remains front