Taken from an interview with NIKOLAI PATRUSHEV, Russian Security Council Secretary

Today, Russia possesses two thousand tactical nuclear weapons that it could deploy by plane, missile, or ship. It would most likely use the short-range Iskander-M missile system. These weapons have yields of 1–50 kilotons, the largest of which would have a blast radius about half a kilometer wider than the bomb the U.S. military dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, at the end of World War II.

The BRICS currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

In total, the BRICS grouping as it currently stands accounts for over 40% of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world’s GDP. The GDP figure is expected to double to 50% of global GDP by 2030. Expanding BRICS will immediately accelerate that process.

Undesirable” organizations” are loosely defined under the law as those posing a threat to the country’s “constitutional order, defense potential or state security. It is yet another move to suffocate freedom of expression and association in Russia, and its intended targets are not just foreign organizations but independent civil society in the country.

1. China’s increasingly intense rivalry with the United States makes an impartial Chinese mediation between US-supported Ukraine and anti-US and China-aligned Russia difficult.
2. China has failed to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, repeated Russian propaganda and disinformation about the war, and staunchly opposed Western economic sanctions that aim to curb the Kremlin's ability to fund its war operation.

India is uniquely placed to play the role of an intermediary between Ukraine and Russia. India has the capabilities and experience to play a meaningful role in ending the war.

Strategic Partners

Countries considered India’s closest include

1. United Arab Emirates
2. Russian Federation
3. Israel
4. Afghanistan
5. France
6. Bhutan
7. Bangladesh
8. United States

India has also forged relationships with developing countries, especially South Africa, Brazil and Mexico.

Partnership agreements

India has signed strategic partnership agreements with more than two dozen countries/supranational entities

India stands with the Global South and seeks to strengthen the United Nations’ effectiveness. India’s focus is on reformed multilateralism, rule of law and a fair and equitable international system aimed at ensuring UN’s continued relevance. 

While India has been a consistent and prominent voice of the Global South the crisis resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war has only intensified India’s efforts to work towards equitable representation to the Global South. 

Source: Reporters without borders

The purpose of the World Press Freedom Index is to compare the level of press freedom enjoyed by journalists and media in 180 countries and territories. This comparison is based on a definition of press freedom formulated by RSF and its panel experts when developing the new methodology to be used from 2022 onwards

Launched by President Xi Jinping at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2021, the GDI aims to put “development high on the global macro policy agenda”. Its main constituency is the Global South that involves mostly developing and less developed countries. Thus far, the GDI remains largely a declaration of intent and principles and its funding scale is rather modest.  However, the GDI has been well received among developing countries, including in Southeast Asia. .