Electronic commerce has boosted business through cross-border trade and commerce, connecting global consumer markets. However, after twenty-five years of negotiating history, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has failed to design global governance for electronic commerce. Its member states have not come together despite its Joint Statement Initiatives. Ajay Sonawane and Amrendra Kumar argue that the significance of the digital economy lies in the global governance of electronic commerce and the correct characterisation of goods traded through the Internet. They examine the prospects for global governance under the WTO regime. 

This paper interrogates the pervasive role of inducements in contemporary political systems, arguing that inducements—whether in the form of material bribes, symbolic honours, or policy concessions—have become central to the reproduction of electoral legitimacy and governance performance. By examining theoretical foundations and real-world case studies from India, the Philippines, Nigeria, and the United States, the study exposes how inducements distort democratic ideals, reconfigure state–citizen relations, and create a cycle of dependency that undermines accountability and institutional capacity. Muzammil Ahad Dar distinguishes between legitimate incentives and coercive inducements, advocating for nuanced reforms that preserve democratic motivation without enabling manipulation. It concludes by offering multi-scalar recommendations, including electoral finance transparency, welfare depoliticisation, civic education, and ethical international conditionalities. 

Lately, Internet memes have gone beyond just being funny pictures or phrases. They have become a real way for people to communicate, shaping how they talk both online and in person. Shahbaz Khan takes a look at how meme language might be turning into a dialect by checking out its structure, social effects, and real-life use. By looking at over 50 popular memes from sites like Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit, the article spots the repeating patterns, grammar, and changes in meaning that memes bring. Meme language serves more as a speech style for certain groups rather than a full dialect. This study reflects on how digital communication interacts with language development, shedding light on how Internet culture may influence language changes over time. 

Since 2014, the India-Russia nuclear partnership has evolved against the backdrop of shifting global power dynamics and growing strategic uncertainty. Nalinie Sharma and Malkiat Singh asks: how do systemic pressures and domestic considerations combine to shape the trajectory of this cooperation? It demonstrates how external factors—such as major power rivalries, US-Russia tensions, and Western sanctions—intersect with domestic imperatives, including India’s energy security needs as well as Russia’s ambition to consolidate its role as a major nuclear exporter and secure stable markets. The partnership is evident in the Kudankulam project, new agreements to build floating nuclear power plants, joint ventures in third countries and Russia’s support for India’s NSG membership. The second part, dealing mostly with future plans and prospects will be featured in the following issue. 

Africa’s vast economic potential, fast-increasing youthful population, changing demography, and growing impact on the international scene have made it a critical arena for geopolitical conflict amongst significant world powers. Increased interest in the continent is being shown by the United States and European countries. S Subba Rao shows that China’s military aid and large-scale investments, primarily through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), have recently raised the country’s presence in Africa. These developments have triggered concerns regarding the long-term effects of Beijing’s activities on the continent. 

South Asia is one of the regions where China pursues a grand strategy by building close associations with various nations. Beijing has long supplied loans and arms to countries situated in India’s hinterland, China’s military activities and support to Pakistan are perceived by India as major threats to its security interests. China’s arms sales to India’s smaller neighbours do not pose a direct threat to India’s regional dominance; however, with the emergence of new political forces, Bangladesh may pose a new challenge. Vinod Khobragade briefly surveys China’s arms supply to South Asian countries and also examines India’s strategic efforts to manage and contain China’s potential threats and pressure on New Delhi. 

India has been tackling Pakistan-sponsored terrorism since the late 1980s. Despite several strong warnings of decisive action on terrorism by the Narendra Modi government, Pakistan yet again hatched a deadly attack on civilians in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, on 22 April 2025. India responded decisively by destroying nine terror infrastructures, including the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). In return, Pakistan attacked India militarily. As it had warned, India hit back at Pakistan by striking at eleven of its military bases. Then, surprisingly, President Donald Trump informed the world about a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, taking all the credit for himself. Shortly after, the government of India also declared the ceasefire. Prasanta Sahoo delves into the mystery behind that development, and the possible reasons for the Pahalgam terror attack. 

The quest for peace in Afghanistan has been marred by a multitude of challenges, not least among them being the contradictions between the narratives espoused by the Taliban and those propagated by Western actors. Rajarshi Chakraborty points out that the Taliban’s narrative, rooted in their interpretation of Islamic values, emphasises the establishment of Sharia. They framed their insurgency as a struggle against foreign occupation and have returned to what they perceive as traditional Afghan values. In contrast, Western actors emphasise the importance of political inclusivity, democratic institutions, and gender equality as essential components of a peace settlement. They view the Taliban’s ideology and tactics as antithetical to these values and urge the Taliban government to safeguard the rights of all Afghans according to the ideals of liberal democracy. 

The legacy of Tamil migration in South Asia, both voluntary and forced, remains a pivotal yet underexplored factor in the region’s contemporary ethno-religious tensions and border politics. This study examines how the colonial era indentured labour system and the mass displacement during the Sri Lankan Civil War shaped the cross-border Tamil identities and altered the socio-political landscape, particularly between India and Sri Lanka. The Tamil refugee crisis and the Eelam movement are analysed as crucial forces that contributed to domestic political shifts in India, centre-state tensions, and evolving regional diplomacy. Challenging the dominant security-centric framing of border infiltration, Sachin Bhambu and Vibhuti Singh Shekhawat reinterpret Tamil migration as a historical outcome of colonial disruptions, ethnic marginalisation, and contested notions of sovereignty. It also critiques the ongoing policy vacuum in India regarding Tamil refugees and the limited reintegration efforts in post-war Sri Lanka.