Publications

Economic Affairs & National Development

Vote for the Future

The 2024 election in Pakistan deserves praise for three reasons: the spirited participation of the people, including women and young voters; the largely secure environment in which voters gathered; and the confirmation of the people’s commitment to a democratic process. What is also worth noting, however, is the technologically primitive nature of the electoral process, as if we were voting in 1924 rather than in 2024.
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February 14, 2024
Emerging technologies

Layoffs in the Global Tech Industry

Contrary to general perception, in recent years, the tech sector has entered a rather turbulent phase, marked by massive layoffs. 2022 witnessed a staggering  649% increase in layoffs, which continued to manifest itself in the subsequent year. The first quarter of 2023 witnessed a peak in layoffs and the tech industry underwent its most significant contraction in the last ten years, with the loss of more than 240,000 jobs.
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February 13, 2024
Peace and Conflict

Gaza: The ‘Graveyard for Children’

In response to Hamas’s attack on 7th October, 2023, Israel has unleashed a fatal onslaught on the Gaza Strip. In these brutal attacks, Israel is not even sparing innocent children and infants. According to Save the Children, in the last 100 days or so, more than 10,000 children have been killed due to Israeli airstrikes and ground operations.
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February 12, 2024
Emerging technologies

Generative AI and Disinformation in the Political Sphere

We live in an era where it is common to see AI-generated content with political undertones on social media. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like DALL E, ChatGPT etc. help create content in a format of one’s choosing: audio, video or text. Proliferation of these tools have raised concerns about their misuse to spread disinformation.
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February 12, 2024
Nuclear

COP28, the Pledge to Triple Nuclear Capacity & Pakistan’s Predicaments

At the World Climate Action Summit of the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, 22 countries signed a declaration pledging to triple nuclear power capacity by 2050 in a bid to cut reliance on fossil fuels. Experts have pointed out that, ‘the pledge is completely, utterly unrealistic.’
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February 7, 2024
India

India’s Quest for Indigenous Pseudo-Satellites

The advent of technology has compelled states to revolutionise their security structures which can withstand the escalating threats concerns vis à vis land, sea, and airspace domains. Over time, an integral component in the domain of warfare has gained exponential importance i.e., space and satellites.
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February 2, 2024
India

India’s Indigenous Aircraft Manufacturing: A Reality Check

Narendra Modi initiated an ambitious ‘Make in India’ project in 2014 emphasising domestic manufacturing and removing hurdles that prevented foreign collaboration in the defence sector because of the government’s strict foreign investment and joint venture regulations. Since he arrived in Panchavati (the official residential complex of the Indian PM), the indigenisation drive accelerated considerably.
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February 2, 2024
Emerging technologies

‘Made in China 2025’ : Blueprint for Future Industries

The foundation of a nation’s progress lies in its robust industrial sector, shaping its economic vitality and strategic influence. China, having a formidable industrial base, has secured a prominent global standing across diverse sectors. Its ‘Made in China’ (MIC) 2025 project marks a paradigm shift with a primary focus on becoming a global leader in high-tech industries through a dual-pronged approach.
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February 1, 2024
Emerging technologies

Role of Big Data in the Predictive Modelling of Conflicts

Big Data is an integral domain of emerging technologies, with one of its applications being predictive modelling of future events. It consists of large volumes of data generated from multiple sources, being subjected to real-time processing and analysis through advanced systems such as Artificial intelligence (AI). Moreover, predictive modelling is a statistical technique that taps into historical and current data to predict future outcomes.
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January 31, 2024
Nuclear

Challenges for Iran Nuclear Deal’s Revival and its Likely Impact on the Global Non-Proliferation Regime 

The revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly referred to as the Iran Nuclear Deal, is a daunting test of diplomacy, especially for the Biden Administration as well as Iran’s clerical regime. Back in 2015, this Deal faced a chorus of criticism from detractors who described it as having sunset clauses, which merely postpone Iran’s development of nuclear arsenal.
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January 25, 2024
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