In an era of rising geopolitical tensions, repeated global crises, and growing uncertainty in trade and finance, economic resilience has become a key priority for policymakers. This study presents an understanding by distinguishing regional resilience from global resilience, offering hardnosed explanations of both concepts and outlining mensurable indicators for each. Regional resilience is the capacity of an economy to endure and recuperate from shocks by way of strong, cost-effective connections in its region. These could be seen in terms of intra-bloc trade power, trade concentration, intra-regional investment flows and constant capital flows, which indicate the deep economical integration and interdependence. On the contrary, global resilience is concerned with the extent to which an economy is guarded by larger global diversification. It is quantified by the distribution of exports and investments geographically, the extent and diversity of trade partners, membership on global value chains, and the stability of the cross-border capital flows. Understanding the difference between these two forms of resilience has become increasingly important for policy design, especially in a period marked by repeated crises, geopolitical tension, and shifting trade and financial conditions. Countries must decide not only how open their economies should be, but also whether openness should be integrated regionally, diversified globally, or stable through a hybrid approach. Further, it argues that regional integration is peculiarly invaluable during region-wide disruptions such as pandemics, financial crises, or supply shortages, where integrated policies can reduce adjustment costs and protect demand and supply chains. However, global diversification becomes significant in areas such as energy and commodity security, where dependence on limited suppliers can magnify risks. Ultimately, most economies benefit from combining both approaches (a hybrid approach), adapting their strategy to the development stage, institutional strengths, and exposure to external shocks.

ABSTRACT The 2022 QUAD leaders' conference in Tokyo significantly influenced the world history of economic integration. The meeting coincided with the US initiation of a new economic forum, the Indo‐Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), which became effective in February 2024. This unconventional trade pact unites 14 member nations across four economic domains: commerce, supply chains, clean economy, and equitable economy. The Indo‐Pacific region is among the most populous and economically dynamic areas globally, encompassing four continents: Asia, Africa, Australia, and America. The primary concerns of the IPEF aims to address include bolstering resilience, augmenting sustainability, fostering inclusive economic growth, expanding commercial possibilities, and advancing equity and competitiveness among nations in the Indo‐Pacific area. This short guest editorial introduces the World Affairs special issue on the novel design and strategic importance of the IPEF and provides an overview of the ten article contributions it contains.

This chapter explores the evolving course of China's global economic engagement and its prospective influence on international systems, governance structures, and development pathways. As China transitions from a regional manufacturing hub to a comprehensive global actor, its strategies in trade, foreign investment, infrastructure diplomacy, technology, and finance are shaping the contours of the world economy. Vital to this shift is the ‘Dual Circulation' model, which emphasizes boosting domestic consumption and technological self-reliance while sustaining openness to global markets. Externally, rising tariffs, technology restrictions, and growing anti-China sentiment in key markets constrain its engagement.The study concludes that China's influence will increasingly be defined by its ability to balance domestic reform with outward engagement. Its dual identity as a systemic competitor and collaborative partner reflects both tension and opportunity in the global order.

This article examines China's ambitious blueprint for becoming a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) by 2030 and its potential implications for international power structures. Through a detailed analysis of policy documents and case studies, the study highlights how China's AI strategy is poised to transform its economic, military, and geopolitical stature. By prioritizing AI research and development, fostering public-private partnerships, and implementing comprehensive educational reforms, China aims to catalyze innovations that could underpin future technological supremacy. The article assesses the potential outcomes of China's AI ascendancy, including shifts in global economic power, advancements in military capabilities, and the redefinition of international alliances. The article concludes by offering insights into how other nations might respond to China's growing influence in AI and suggests pathways for international collaboration and regulation.

The States President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariffs regime towards world major economies have resulted in a mixed bag of economic outcomes across the regions. Due to the Trump’s announcement, the US economy Squeezed by 0.3 per cent during quarter 1 of 2025, resulting into the first decline in last three years, Similarly, China’s factory operation goes down to a 16-month low, while Taiwan’s GDP surged 5.4 per cent on pre-tariff tech exports. Europe saw 0.4 per cent growth before tariffs hit and Canada is on track to miss GDP estimates. From the US and Europe to China and Taiwan, the repercussions of his aggressive trade policies are visible in everything from factory output to GDP forecasts. The main logic given by Trump administration for the sweeping tariff policy is to restore balance to USA’s trade relations with major trading partners and protect US industries. But the reality is somewhat different. When analysed the available economic data, trends and situation revealed a far more imbalanced scenario across regions of the world. Trade experts are of then firm opinion that sweeping rise in US tariff in 2025 are impacting in a big way the world trade. Added to this, the increase in existing tariffs may distort output patterns and also may lead to a sharp reconfiguration of world value chains, resulting in a less efficient and more opaque trade system.

Asian economic potential draws world attention. Recently, China challenges the US's economic and political dominance which prompted the US-China tradewar. Afghanistan and other Arab nations struggled for decades amid an informal US colony after Saddam Hossain's fall. After the US troops left Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban took over it. Afghanistan's trade and military advantage make it vital as middle east geopolitics alter. This has been noticed by China. China-Afghanistan military cooperation improves trade. All in Eurasia is seeing China penetrate global value networks and the Belt and Road supply chains. The 21st century's Silk Road connects Eastern Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor. China-Afghanistan cooperation along the Wakhan Corridor is the key to the success of the Silk Road initiative. China-Afghanistan wants to use the corridor more, which has been a commerce and military battleground. The essay discusses China-Afghanistan strategic relations along the Wakhan Corridor from a legal and strategic perspective.

The aim of the present study is to empirically examine the role of selected macro-economic variables on the global value chains participation index of BRICS countries using the Pooled Mean group Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag method. The study also highlighted the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the global value chains (GVC). The findings show that foreign direct investment is significant in the long run as well as short-run, while real effective exchange rate, current account balance, trade, and gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate are significant only in the long run for BRICS economies. The study further suggests that globalisation has way more positive effects than moving away from it.

India has been a member of the BRICS group since 2009. It has been a staunch advocate for the synergistic power. Their summits have focused on a wide range of topics, all of which share the common goal of reorganizing the global economic and political order. The BRIGS nations have together accomplished several significant milestones which include the establishment of the New Development Bank, the BRICS Payment System, collaborative anti -terror programs, climate mitigation, green energy, and other such initiatives. South Africa played home to the 15th BRICS Summit, which took place in the August of 2023 and was centered around the theme of "BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism." This essay considers issues from an Indian perspective that may pop up in the future BRICS summit .

AbstractThis study investigates the challenges and opportunities in infrastructure development, inequality, and employment in Sub-Saharan Africa. There is a critical gap between infrastructure planning and execution, exacerbated by inadequate funding, bureaucratic hurdles, and a lack of technical expertise, leading to profound inequality in infrastructure and employment opportunities, particularly affecting rural and marginalized communities. The study aims to identify the mismatch between current job market needs and the workforce's skills, analyse the impact of rapid population growth and insufficient educational initiatives, and propose solutions for integrated infrastructure planning and equitable policy development. This research employs qualitative semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis using NVivo to gain in-depth insights into the institutional characteristics influencing infrastructure development, inequality, and employment. Findings reveal significant disparities in infrastructure and employment opportunities, with rural and marginalized communities being disproportionately affected. There is a notable mismatch between job market needs and the available workforce skills, further complicated by rapid population growth and inadequate educational initiatives. The study recommends an integrated approach to infrastructure planning that encompasses sustainability, accessibility, and equitable distribution. Policies should address inequality, ensure equitable access to infrastructure benefits, and align education and skill development with the evolving job market. Leveraging public–private partnerships is also suggested to accelerate infrastructure development efficiently. This paper contributes to the discourse on infrastructure, inequality, and employment in Sub-Saharan Africa, providing a roadmap for addressing these intertwined challenges through integrated policy initiatives.

In this introduction to the themed issue “Diaspora Direct Investment,” we firstly provide a review of the relevant extant literature followed by a discussion on determinants and policy implications. Next, we summarize the six papers included in this special issue. The topics that are touched upon are remittances, foreign direct investment and ecological footprint, diaspora direct investment, interest rate environments, multinational enterprises and their effects on poverty, and diaspora engagement. As a relatively new topic in international investment, the selected papers provide novel contributions to the broad theme and focus on under-researched areas of international investment determinants. Our review of the literature provides a brief overview of past studies on diaspora investment (including direct investment) and the conclusions derived therefrom. We conclude by suggesting research gaps to be filled by future studies on diaspora direct investment.

In this chapter, the authors examine the causes, consequences, and potential development of financial inclusion in China. It explores how factors including financial literacy and regulatory settings, as well as novel financial inclusion strategies, have shaped China's inclusive financial system. It examines the effects of financial inclusion on several economic and social metrics. The chapter finishes with suggestions for improving financial inclusion in China, which might serve as examples for other countries, and identifies emerging areas of study and theoretical discourse.

This study examines the role of Social Financial Grants (SFGs) in poverty reduction in South Africa, focusing on their impact on economic stability and income inequality. Using a structured model, it explores both the direct and mediated effects of SFGs on poverty alleviation. Results indicate that SFGs significantly reduce poverty by decreasing income inequality and enhancing economic stability, key factors in a highly unequal society. Effective administration and expansion of SFGs could further benefit vulnerable populations. The study notes limitations, such as the need for longitudinal data to assess sustainability and attention to regional disparities. Recommendations include integrating SFGs with job training, improving distribution, and reducing stigma. Implications extend beyond South Africa, offering insights for other developing nations. Future research should investigate additional mediators and conduct comparative regional studies to optimise social grant programmes globally.

In recent years, various steps have been taken to build strong and effective intra-BRICS economic cooperation.Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa have been meeting since 2009 and gained a lot of weightages on different areas of economic relevance.In this course, the contribution of India is very significant.The paper therefore aims to elucidate the bilateral relations of India with its BRICS counterparts.The study begins by stressing the importance of BRICS as a group and its importance in the context of India.The authors hold a descriptive methodology by adopting secondary data from various sources.The paper gives an overview of the individual bilateral relationship of India in terms of trade.Further, the study suggested how a change of policy and infrastructural development can make the relationship of India with BRICS counterparts much stronger and sustainable.

G lobalization has given rise to the critical concept of firm internationalization, resulting in a boundaryless world. Numerous studies have been conducted on the determinants of foreign direct di-vestment (FDD) in European countries. However, there is a lack of research on FDD in the Central and Eastern European countries (CEE). Therefore, it can be concluded that studies focusing on the inter-nationalization of firms, particularly those owning and operating units in foreign locations, are necessary. Multinational companies that own and operate units in CEE countries are considered drivers of inter-nationalization and globalization. These companies promote interdependence between CEE countries, playing a crucial role in the globalization process of their economies.

There is no doubt that the BRICS countries established in 2000-01, have already made their mark on the international stage.Increasing relations among BRICS countries with less developed nations through south-south cooperation, especially, China, India, and Russia and with least developed countries are of significant importance.BRICS has been the forerunner of cooperation, collaboration and reformation of the present international governance structure and to move towards multilateralism.Over the years, BRICS has become a platform of, and for the developing countries.The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has created divisions in the world, impacting diplomatic relations that BRICS needs to address.The fact that Russia is the member of BRICS makes things complicated and new challenges has emerged for the bloc to take necessary actions and policy considerations.The article examines the challenges and opportunities for BRICS (as a bloc) amid Russia-Ukraine conflict in a post pandemic world.