New episode: Leaning into 2025: India's influence, ASEAN and a Middle East ceasefire, and how the Philippines really love Christmas.

This month we look ahead to 2025. With insights from Manali Kumar and David MacSweeney, we explore how ASEAN might respond to a potential Middle East ceasefire, examine India’s growing role as a key partner in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, and hear how the Philippines celebrates Christmas like nowhere else.

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News9DLDecember 27, 2024EPinASEAN, 9DASHLINE, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Richard Heydarian, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, European Parliament, The Bridge, Trump, David MacSweeney, Manali Kumar, Gaza

A humbled Modi returns to power — What lies ahead

Written by Manali Kumar and Chetan Rana

After a decade of sliding towards authoritarianism, a return to coalition politics promises a path to redemocratisation. Without a clear majority, the BJP can no longer bypass parliamentary scrutiny.

South Asia9DLJune 21, 20249dashline, Manali Kumar, Chetan Rana, Narendra Modi, third consecutive term, Jawaharlal Nehru, prime minister of India, BJP, Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Janata Dal (United) (JDU), National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Modi’s rise to power, Congress-led UPA government, over 400 seats, 240 seats, 272-seat majority, INDIA, opposition alliance, gaining over 100 seats, world’s fifth-largest economy, 200 billionaires, 250 million people out of poverty, zero-food children, economic hardships, strong GDP growth, COVID-19, Mid-Day Meals, Integrated Child Development Services, welfare spending, LPG usage, pen defecation reduction, public goods, teacher-to-student ratio, literacy and maths skills, National Education Policy 2020, Changes to school textbooks, Darwin’s theory of evolution, infrastructure spending, over USD 130 billion, Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Foreign direct investment, India's education system, gig jobs, low-paying employment, BJP’s Hindu nationalist agenda, hate speech against Muslims, Andhra Pradesh, NDA allies, 2002 riots, 2004 election defeat, special status to Andhra Pradesh, 2025 Bihar assembly elections, Bihar, council of ministers, Union Minister, Lok Sabha, Nitish Kumar, caste, Chief Minister, nationwide caste census, new welfarism, Agniveer scheme, short-term defence personnel induction program, armed services, Uniform Civil Code, national identity, Hindu majority, narrative of victimhood, Modi’s guarantee, NDA government, NDA, unemployment, stagnant wages, manufacturing sector, corruption, lowest GDP growth since liberalisation, Dr. Manmohan Singh, authoritarianism, coalition politics, a path to redemocratisation, parliamentary scrutiny, A humbled Modi returns to power — What lies ahead

The Navigator's May issue is out now

The May edition of THE NAVIGATOR is now available, delivering in-depth analysis, up-to-date information, and a comprehensive look at the Indo-Pacific region.

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News9DLJune 14, 2024The Navigator, Indo-Pacific, Taiwan, 9DASHLINE, David MacSweeney, Daniel McIntyre, Manali Kumar, indonesia

In Brief: The team behind 9DASHLINE

9DASHLINE’s leadership — David MacSweeney, Dr Manali Kumar, and Dr Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy — reflect on the major developments over the past year and answer some frequently asked questions about our goals and hopes for 2024.

News9DLDecember 22, 20239dashline, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Manali Kumar, David MacSweeney, Consulting

India’s G20 presidency in 2023: Modi’s time to shine?

Written by Manali Kumar

With the next round of parliamentary elections scheduled for the summer of 2024, Modi is already in campaign mode, and the G20 presidency has all but been declared a success.

South Asia9DLJanuary 26, 2023India’s G20 presidency in 2023: Modi’s time to shine?, 9DashLine, Manali Kumar, India, G20, Bali Summit, emerging economies, debt crises, global economic and financial governance, war in Ukraine, Russia, NATO, Poland, Indonesia, food and energy security, climate crisis, post-Covid economic recession and inflationary crisis, inflation, recession, New Delhi, One Earth, One Family, One Future, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s G20 presidency, Global South, ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ (LiFE), disaster risk reduction and resilience, economic crime, green hydrogen, climate financing, loss and damage fund, COP27, cryptocurrency, regulation, Bali declaration, US, Reserve Bank of India, dollarisation, tax evasion, money laundering, protectionism, sustainable development, empowering women, Russia’s war against Ukraine, supply chain disruptions, Russia’s aggression, neutrality, Russian oil, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, sanctions, peace agreement, COVID-19 pandemic, China-US rivalry, diplomacy, re-election

Best of 2022: The Climate Crisis

In 2022, the Indo-Pacific region witnessed several devastating climate-related disasters, from floods in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh to heat waves and droughts in China. It is clear that the climate crisis has become an increasingly urgent global issue, and that concerted international action is necessary.

Faultlines9DLJanuary 3, 2023Best of 2022: The Climate Crisis, ASEAN leads the Indo-Pacific climate response, Clare Richardson-Barlow, Asean, indo-pacific, Net-Zero, South Asia must proactively prepare to face climate change, Manali Kumar, natural disasters, climate change, APOORVA JAIN, Building a case for disaster diplomacy in South Asia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bangladesh’s manoeuvring of climate change geopolitics, Rudabeh Shahid, Atlantic Council, Sirazoom Munira, Paris Climate goals, Dhaka, China's water security dilemma, Zenel Garcia, Philip Guerreiro, Water, Beijing, Environment, economy, society, water security, Competition and cooperation: India and China in the global climate regime, Miriam Prys-Hansen, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, German Institute for Global and Area Studies, Simon Kaack, New Delhi, China, The World Needs Sino-American Climate Cooperation, Taylah Bland, Climate, Sino-American, Superpowers, Washington, Asia Society Policy Institute

Taking stock and looking ahead with 9DASHLINE

As we say farewell to an incredibly rewarding year and look forward to taking a brief but well-deserved break, 9DASHLINE’s leadership — David MacSweeney, Dr Manali Kumar, and Dr Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy — answer some frequently asked questions about our goals and hopes for the platform in 2023.

News9DLDecember 23, 20229DASHLINE, Hunter Marston, Tereza Novotna, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Manali Kumar, David MacSweeney, La Trobe Asia, Kubernein Initiative, indo-pacific, europe, Feminist Foreign Policy, Brussels, Berlin, Korea, Taiwan

South Asia must proactively prepare to face climate change

Written by Manali Kumar

South Asian countries would do well to finally set aside their mutual animosities and start developing transnational and regional mechanisms to adapt to climate change and recover from disasters.

South Asia9DLOctober 20, 20229DashLine, South Asia must proactively prepare to face climate change, Manali Kumar, South Asia, climate change, natural disaster, flood, flooding, Pakistan, humanitarian disaster, humanitarian crisis, health crisis, Bangladesh, Nepal, landslides, India, heatwave, heat wave, drought, Indo-Pacific, Africa, Europe, disaster-prone, hydrometeorological, storms, water scarcity, food insecurity, poverty, weather disaster, Asian Development Bank, cyclone Amphan, displacement, internal displacement, internal migration, sea level rise, climate migration, climate migrants, megapolises, Delhi, Mumbai, pollution, environmental degradation, cyclones, earthquakes, population growth, urbanisation, population density, disaster preparedness and relief, urban planning, urban development, local ecology, monsoon season, climate adaptive, resilient, multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mechanisms, regional cooperation, Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), Myanmar, IORA Action Plan 2017-2021, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), SAARC Convention on Cooperation on Environment, Thimphu Statement on Climate Change, Inter-governmental Expert Group on Climate Change, United Nations, World Bank, relief, China, US, UK, EU, Germany, extreme climate events, GDP, COP27, Common But Differentiated Responsibility, Global South, 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), developed countries

Announcing our new Managing Editor: Dr Eva Seiwert

We are delighted to announce that former Associate Editor Dr Eva Seiwert will now serve as our new Managing Editor and help lead the work of our growing editorial team.

News9DLSeptember 30, 2022EVA SEIWERT, 9DASHLINE, Managing Editor, Manali Kumar

India at 75 — Still a postcolonial poster child for democracy?

Written by Manali Kumar

Although unique in its particular causes, India’s democratic backsliding is part of a global trend. Like other polities, India too needs new ideas if it is to overcome this divisive, fascist turn in its politics.

In Brief: David Hutt and Dr Lucas Knotter, our new associate editors

9DL recently welcomed David Hutt and Dr Lucas Knotter to our team as our new associate editors. Our Editor-in-Chief, Dr Manali Kumar, recently sat down with them to learn more about their work and plans to help take the platform forward.

The team behind 9DASHLINE

As we bid adieu to a busy and rewarding year for our team, 9DL’s leadership — David MacSweeney [Founder], Dr Manali Kumar [Editor-in-Chief], and Dr Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy [Head of the Associates’ Network] — answer some frequently asked questions.

In Brief: Dr Eva Seiwert, our new Associate Editor

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Eva Seiwert as our new Associate Editor. Dr Seiwert brings a wealth of experience to the role and we look forward to her work in continuing to showcase the next generation of leading thinkers while also working to connect Europe and the Indo-Pacific.

In Brief: Dr Manali Kumar, our new Editor-in-Chief

We are delighted to announce that former Associate Editor Dr Manali Kumar takes over as our new Editor-in-Chief. After an enormously successful first year in operation which has seen 9DL host hundreds of articles from dozens of established and upcoming writers, we are excited to move into the next phase of our development under Dr Kumar’s leadership.