
Thailand–EU FTA Negotiations: Hidden Hurdles and Easy Wins
Despite confidence from leaders, both parties are walking a tightrope between their international interests and domestic anxieties.

Despite confidence from leaders, both parties are walking a tightrope between their international interests and domestic anxieties.

As our global economy becomes increasingly digital, AI-driven, and reliant on 5G networks, the demand for semiconductors will only continue to surge. These components are not only fundamental to technological advancement but crucial for geopolitical stability.

On 13 September 2023, during her annual State of the Union address, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen announced the opening of an anti-subsidy investigation into imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China.

The security environment in Myanmar has been at a critical point for the past few years. Since the 2021 military coup under General Min Aung Hlang, security challenges have reached critical levels both internally and regionally, also spreading beyond Myanmar’s borders. Moreover, Refugee inflows, especially into Bangladesh and Thailand, have added to the already existing challenge of the Rohingya Crisis.

Following the European Union’s pledge of financial support for the UN’s ‘PROTECT’ Project, how can the EU deepen its strategic alliance in the Indo-Pacific through initiatives addressing labour migration, human rights, and sustainable economic development? How can these non-security efforts complement its strategic partnerships in the region?

The Indo-Pacific region is a key region in terms of maritime geopolitics, security, trade and environmental issues. With China’s rise, increasing tensions over territorial claims and the region’s strategic importance, several European countries, including Germany and France, have implemented comprehensive policies.

Following the recent elections that tilted the Maldives towards a more outspoken pro-China stance, the geopolitical dynamics have been set into motion, presenting a compelling opportunity for the European Union. The changing circumstances opens the Maldives’ burgeoning role in global affairs, paving the way for enhanced collaboration in diplomacy, climate action, and reaffirming its critical importance in the theatre of South Asian politics.

In the complex geopolitical context shaping international dynamics — characterised by a plethora of (in)security dynamics, encompassing shifting alliances and global tensions — the significance of a solid partnership based on economic resilience and an increase of sustainable development has never been more relevant.

In the bustling cities of Lahore, New Delhi, and Dhaka, a common threat looms large, blurring the borders that separate these cities. Air pollution, a relentless adversary, knows no boundaries, permeating the skies and lungs of millions across the Indo-Gangetic Plain.