Raghav Pillai is a New Delhi-based foreign affairs analyst covering great-power diplomacy and the architecture of global order. His reporting tracks the intersections of strategy, economics, and statecraft.
Recent work
The UN's First AI Assessment Opens a Governance Window India Must Claim
The United Nations has published the first independent global scientific assessment of artificial intelligence, mapping both its transformative potential and systemic risks. The report arrives as multilateral governance frameworks begin to solidify, creating an opportunity — and a deadline — for countries that wish to shape the resulting architecture rather than inherit it. India, with its scale of digital deployment and its established record of building public AI infrastructure, enters this moment with genuine norm-setting leverage.
Gulf Shockwaves Expose the Real Cost of Middle East Conflict for Developing Economies
Weekend strikes between the United States and Iran have eased after renewed diplomatic efforts, but the economic damage is already spreading through the world's most vulnerable economies. Crude prices, shipping costs, and food import bills are moving against countries that have no seat at the table where this conflict is being prosecuted. For India, the exposure runs deeper than headline oil prices — it runs through 9 million workers in the Gulf, a fragile shipping corridor, and the credibility New Delhi has built as the institutional voice of the Global South.
India Shapes Global Justice Framework as UN War Crimes Tribunals Near Closure
The UN Security Council weighs the future of international war crimes mechanisms as tribunals for Rwanda and Yugoslavia near closure. India leverages this transition to promote equitable representation in global justice institutions and address selectivity concerns in international law.
India Reinforces UN Peacekeeping Leadership as Lebanon Violence Claims Another Life
A UN peacekeeper died in mortar fire near Marjayoun, Lebanon, highlighting security threats to the 900 Indian personnel deployed with UNIFIL. The incident reinforces India's position as a leading peacekeeping contributor while demonstrating the sacrifices Indian forces make for international stability.
India Advances Climate Leadership as UN Confirms El Niño's Global Weather Threat
The UN has confirmed El Niño's onset, warning of extreme weather globally. The Pacific Ocean-warming phenomenon directly threatens India's monsoon patterns and agricultural productivity, while creating opportunities for India to showcase its indigenous weather forecasting technologies and strengthen its position in climate diplomacy.
India Navigates Critical Mineral Competition as UK Intensifies South Africa Engagement
The UK government has released comprehensive guidance on South Africa's critical minerals, highlighting the country's strategic importance in global supply chains for battery metals, platinum group metals, and industrial minerals. The guidance signals intensifying Western competition for African mineral resources that India must navigate as it seeks to diversify its own critical mineral supply chains away from Chinese dominance.
India Advances Global Governance Vision as UN Chief Calls for Security Council Reform
UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared Security Council reform 'absolutely essential' while criticizing veto-wielding 'superpowers' for impunity. His call for expanded membership validates India's long-standing position that current structures reflect outdated post-WWII dynamics rather than contemporary global realities.
India Elevates Italy Partnership to Strategic Alliance as Europe Embraces New Delhi
Prime Minister Modi's official visit to Italy culminated in upgrading bilateral ties to Special Strategic Partnership level, with leaders targeting €20 billion trade by 2029. The partnership spans semiconductors, clean energy, and defence cooperation, reflecting Europe's growing recognition of India's economic dynamism.
UK Abandons Aid Paternalism as India's Partnership Model Gains Global Traction
The UK's Deputy Prime Minister announced a fundamental shift away from traditional development aid toward partnerships based on mutual respect, marking a significant validation of India's long-standing approach to international cooperation and South-South development frameworks.
UK Conference Signals Shift Toward Results-Driven Development Architecture
The UK's Global Partnerships Conference 2026 proposes fundamental reforms to international development cooperation, emphasising speed, country-led solutions, and private sector engagement. The initiative comes as Middle East conflicts threaten 45 million more with acute food insecurity.