From the outside, 2026 seems to be a great year for American lunar ambitions. The Artemis II mission was launched, carrying astronauts around the Moon — in the process flying further away from Earth than anyone before — and successfully bringing them back.

Anthropic's Mythos has unearthed several loopholes in existing software. Through Project Glasswing, the company is leading a crusade to secure internet in the AI era. The revelations made by Mythos Preview, Anthropic’s powerful new model has upended the world of cybersecurity over the past few weeks.

As thinking and creativity are increasingly being delegated to AI, algorithms are essentially shaping our sense of reality and conditioning how we think. The question on what it means to be human has become an existential quandary of modern times, as machine intelligence is attaining superior cognitive power.

Vietnam's chip strategy offers key insights to small and middle powers looking to emerge as major players in the semiconductor ecosystem.

Several states can play a positive role in pushing India’s S&T ties with other countries – especially in the ASEAN region. Soft power linkages – driven by diaspora and cultural affinity – can pave the way for closer ties. Tamil Nadu’s links to Malaysia provide a model that other Indian states can replicate.

AI today is not just a technology but an instrument of sovereignty, economic competition, and global influence. The key question is not who writes the most comprehensive rules, nor who builds the largest model, but who most effectively integrates AI into institutions and the economy.

UN-led AI multilateralism has been grappling with the realities of a fragmented world order in the recent past. Despite this reality, the UN has time and again advocated strongly for the urgency for governing AI so that the fate of humanity is not left to an algorithm.

A vast part of the Global South may be at the margins of the AI revolution. However, when it comes to AI governance, the Global South has unique solutions to offer to the world.

A Made in India AI model unveiled at the AI Impact Summit has outperformed the leading players in the market in its ability to synthesize multiple Indian languages. Optimized to work in consumer devices and in low internet connectivity conditions, the Sarvam Edge epitomizes how linguistic and digital inclusivity can be embedded into design parameters.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff wars and controversial remarks over Greenland – even threatening military action – have caused much consternation to allies in Europe and elsewhere.

Over the past year, there have been an increasing number of examples of AI being introduced into public administration. The U.S. government has begun using specialized services such as ChatGPT Gov and xAI for Government; the Russian government declares the prioritization of AI implementation in its operations.

The HGP marks a momentous achievement in human history and in science diplomacy, involving researchers from across the world in a mega project aimed at decoding the mysteries of the human gene.

Having issued nine executive orders on AI since assuming office, Donald Trump has redrawn the contours of US AI policy in 2025. Naming Biden-era policies as dangerous to US national interest, Trump has sought to deregulate AI for the purposes of encouraging innovation.

The European Space Agency (ESA) recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Through half a century of its existence, the agency has significantly expanded Europe’s footprint in outer space. As the flagbearer of European space power, the agency stands as a tall success story in the institutionalization of space science collaboration.

Southeast Asia's space programs are among the world’s oldest. Recently, in the last decade, a shift has begun from externally sourced satellites and associated services, towards indigenously developed ones. Could collaborative indigenous satellites unlock new opportunities for the space economy in Southeast Asia? Southeast Asia boasts among the world’s oldest and most established space programs.

Facial recognition systems are widely employed across the world today. The use of facial recognition systems brings real public safety benefits such as apprehending criminals and maintaining law and order. However, their proliferation also raises concerns about fundamental rights and privacy.

The nuclear energy industry has received significant bad press following incidents like Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and most recently, Fukushima. Strong anti-nuclear energy lobbies have developed across the world from India to Germany to the USA and Japan.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought several wars to assert their claims over the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh over the past several decades. After its recapture by Azerbaijan in September 2023, a newly self-declared government has announced that the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh will simply cease to exist by January 2024.

The Gulf Cooperation Council has been synonymous with the world oil markets for decades. However, in recent years, there has been a concerted effort by the states in the grouping to diversify their economies and reduce dependency on oil. Investments in high technology and STEM education has quickly developed as a major marker of this shift.

The United Nation's global regulatory system is no longer commensurate with the challenges of humanity. UN institutions no longer convince because the scope of their interventions lacks efficiency and coordination. Meanwhile, the rapidity of technological advancements has often surpassed the capability of existing global governance mechanisms to keep pace.

An F-35 jet flew over US territory in a zombie mode for several hours in September 2023 after the pilot ejected following a malfunction. The jet, known for its advanced stealth capabilities, gave the US military a real test before it could be located and its debris recovered.

The EU’s ambitious climate policy has been widely criticised. While the civil society feels the governments are not doing enough, member-states such as Poland are completely opposed to climate directives from Brussels. This has led to a multiplicity of lawsuits before the European courts in recent times.

The NPT bans the transfer of nuclear weapons, materials or technology to a non-nuclear weapon state. It allows for transfer of nuclear materials and technology for peaceful uses, which are generally considered to be for civilian nuclear energy generation.

The Camp David bore witness to the birth of yet another historic diplomatic masterstroke in August 2023. Capitalizing on the recent rapprochement between Japan and South Korea, Washington has skillfully crafted a trilateral security cooperation framework to counter China. How could this shape the idea of a free and open Indo-Pacific?

The Strait of Hormuz situated in the Persian Gulf holds tremendous significance for the global energy supply chains. Iran’s naval forces have recently been engaging in harassing and seizing commercial and military vessels traversing through the region. The situation is escalating fast as the USA and its allies are increasing their military build-up in the Gulf.

The Nuclear Suppliers Group originated nearly five decades ago with India firmly in its crosshairs after conducting its first nuclear test. Today, most of the original seven NSG members are the leading supporters of India’s bid to gain entry into the same grouping. What does India to stand to gain from an NSG membership?

Industry 4.0 represents a new era in manufacturing and production. Internet of Things (IoT) herein features as a central enabler of smart manufacturing. In a high-risk, high-stakes industry such as chemicals, IoT holds immense potential to enhance efficiency and productivity. The chemical industry accounts for the manufacturing of almost every product.

Nano drones is the next frontier in the evolution of drones. Due to their small size, these drones present a tremendous scope for application across military and civilian spheres. However, several moral and ethical considerations ought to be resolved to allow humanity to fully benefit from them.

Drones have become nearly omnipresent across multiple areas of applications over the past two decades. Nano drones is the newest and most cutting-edge development in this arena. Their evolution has been realized by advances in various fields of technologies including sophisticated sensors, AI-driven autonomy and improved communication.

Nanotechnology has emerged as a critical technology with a plethora of commercial applications across industries. Silver nanoparticles have become one of the most widely used nanomaterials with applications in fields ranging from medicine and pharmaceuticals to agriculture and food processing.

​The USA-China Science and Technology Agreement (STA), first agreed in 1979, is up for renewal by 27 August. The agreement, which has been renewed every five years since, has met with strong opposition from various quarters in the U.S. legislature and even in the executive branches.

The ongoing war in Ukraine is just the latest theater where modern-day information warfare is playing out. As the conflict persists, people all over the world are relying on media outlets to get the latest information of the ground realities. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between factual reportage and propaganda masquerading as news.

Diplomatic ties between India and Israel have existed for over three decades now. Defence sector cooperation has been the cornerstone of this relationship. Through thick and thin, Israel has proved to be a dependable partner for India’s growing ambitions.

Game, Set, Jihad?! Combating the growing menace of radicalisation in the gaming world is not just a job for policing and intelligence agencies. Children and young adults are the largest takers for graphic video games and those at most risk of being targeted by radical groups.

Technopolitics understands technology and politics as a co-constitutive process, each influencing and being influenced by the other. Data and digitalisation today are at the core of this process. As with most things capable of influencing power outcomes at a systemic level, a tussle for regulating the digital revolution is presently underway.

India and Vietnam have a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in which defence and security cooperation plays a central role. Both states have growing reservations about China’s aggressive intent in the Indo-Pacific region. The potential for India-Vietnam ties to be a strategic deterrent against threats to regional stability has perhaps never been greater.

Nuclear fusion has been hyped as the ultimate solution to the most pressing challenges facing humanity including climate change. The technology has the potential to serve as a source of unlimited clean energy. However, several complex challenges need to be overcome before it can really get there.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to embark upon his state visit to the United States later this month, a new paradigm of bilateral cooperation on critical technologies is gaining mileage.

The Russia-Ukraine war has been fought as much on the ground, air and sea, as it has been in the minds of the global populace. Both sides have made concerted efforts from Day 0 to win the information war, with claims and counterclaims ruling the roost.

A review of “The Next Stop: Natural Gas and India’s Journey to a Clean Energy Future,” edited by Vikram Singh Mehta. The book presents natural gas as an ideal option for India on its path to a clean energy transition.

Russia has reportedly won the symbolic Battle of Bakhmut, as Wagner mercenaries bid a slightly unpleasant adieu to their Russian comrades. A focal point in the Russia-Ukraine war, the Battle of Bakhmut has been termed a ‘meatgrinder’. In winning the same, Russia has employed an array of tactics purportedly dictated by the Gerasimov Doctrine.

China’s technological footprint around the globe is now more than palpable, having seemingly taken a leaf out of the US’ playbook. Just as Uncle Sam has doubled down on S&T partnerships in the Far East and the Indo-Pacific, China has accelerated a series of carefully crafted engagements in Latin America, disconcertingly so for the USA.

There is a major problem with integrating AI into high-stakes decision making. Deep learning algorithms cannot explain themselves, nor can their thinking be understood by humans. Efforts toward achieving explainable AI seek to tackle this problem. But can explainable AI meet humanity’s expectations?

The New Space Race is rapidly transforming the landscape of space exploration in the 21st Century. As a major space power, India too has been closely watching the developments in the arena. India has now introduced a bold new space policy that represents a concrete step towards enhancing collaboration, innovation and international cooperation.

Indian Air Force modernization has been a grand project in the anvil for many decades. The IAF is currently short of at least eight more squadrons of fighter aircraft to defend India against growing threats from the eastern and western fronts.

The global quest for ensuring sustainable access to energy for all is at the heart of the perennial debate on climate change and sustainable development. A technological fix herein is very much the need of the hour. Can breakthroughs in nanomaterials pave the way forward for a clean energy revolution?

Richard Wagner was a 19th Century opera composer who was Adolf Hitler’s favourite musician. 140 years after Wagner’s death, a mercenary group named after him is doing Russia’s bidding in Ukraine. The recent activities of the Wagner group, a Russian Private Military Company have been a hotly debated topic among corridors of power around the world.

It is but a matter of time before mankind's exploration of the cosmos moves towards active exploitation of viable resources. How soon this happens could well depend on the pace of advances in robotics and artificial intelligence. Since the beginning, mankind’s exploration of the cosmos has been assisted by the most cutting-edge technology of the time.

As the dawn of the Artificial Intelligence age beckons, can standards ensure that AI is 'ethical' or 'humane'? A technology that at once holds great potential to help humans address some of the biggest problems facing mankind, could also evolve as a threat if its development is left unregulated.

Through cutting-edge investments in high-technology, the UAE seeks to project itself as an emerging, dynamic hub of all things ‘gen-next’. The path to reshaping its identity from that of just another oil-rich Gulf state necessitates some bold choices. Commissioning the Barakah nuclear facility is one such roll of the dice.

NASA successfully demonstrated its asteroid redirect mission, DART. But is humanity really facing an extinction-level threat from space? The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently executed its Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), in the first-ever planetary defense demonstration mission.

India is today a responsible great power. However, 2022 posed unprecedented challenges regarding how India will deal with its friends when they step out of line. With great power comes great responsibility and in IR, this necessitates India hold the USA and Russia accountable for disturbing global peace and stability.

The USA-led NATO forces widely employed drones to carry out counter-terror operations during the War on Terror. A few short years later, however, drones are now fast becoming a technology to be feared in the hands of the very groups they were designed to hunt.

The assassination of Shinzo Abe has been presented as a fallout of the Liberal Democratic Party’s ties with the Unification Church. But how much did Abe’s divisive views on Japan’s military resurgence contribute to this maelstrom? An in-depth look at the growing fissures in Japan’s society.

With a success rate near 90%, the contribution of the Iron Dome to Israel’s national security has been immense. It is no surprise that this missile defence system is today one of the most sought-after advanced weapons platforms in the world.

The commissioning of its second aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, has placed India in an exclusive league of naval powers. The Vikrant symbolises India’s drive for indigenisation in the defence sector and gives credence to the Indian Navy’s blue-water capabilities.