Is Rooppur the foundation of Bangladesh’s energy future, or a costly monument to poor negotiation, foreign dependence, and missed renewable opportunities? Bangladesh stands at a critical juncture in its energy future as the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant nears operation and discussions continue over further nuclear expansion. While nuclear power promises reliable baseload electricity, Rooppur has...Read More
Marginalisation of Multilateral Crisis Finance? Since the 2007-8 Global Financial Crisis (GFC) the Global Financial Safety Net (GFSN) has both significantly expanded and diversified. This has seen a steep decline in the IMF’s share of international liquidity crisis funding capacity, which also includes Bank Swap Arrangements (BSAs) and Regional Financial Arrangements—such as the European Stability...Read More
A prolonged US-Iran war could unleash a severe economic shock and social turbulence for Bangladesh, driving up energy prices, straining foreign exchange reserves, disrupting exports, and threatening remittance inflows. Can Bangladesh withstand the financial turbulence ahead? The conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has intensified since it erupted on 28 February 2026, and...Read More
The EU-India renewed strategic partnership marks a pivotal shift amid US isolationism under President Trump and rising Indo-Pacific tensions. This new Fondation Robert Schuman report, written by GPI Associate Director and Head of the Europe Programme, Karine de Vergeron, analyses how the landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Security Partnership bolster mutual stability, trade diversification,...Read More
Bangladesh–India relations have long been shaped by shared geography, cultural affinities, and deep economic interdependence. Yet these ties have oscillated between close cooperation and periodic tension, reflecting domestic political shifts and changing regional dynamics. The departure of Sheikh Hasina from Bangladesh’s political stage marks a watershed moment in South Asian geopolitics. For over a decade...Read More
Since the 1971 Liberation War, Bangladesh–Pakistan relations have remained characterised by enduring political tension and intermittent normalisation efforts, raising critical questions about the prospects for reconciling deep-rooted historical and structural differences. The emergence of Bangladesh in 1971 fundamentally reshaped South Asia’s geopolitical landscape. Born from a brutal liberation war against Pakistan, Bangladesh’s independence left enduring...Read More
Bangladesh-Myanmar relations are shaped by a complex mix of history, geography, trade, security issues, and humanitarian concerns such as the Rohingya crisis. Can economic and diplomatic engagements change this dynamic? Myanmar was the sixth nation to recognise Bangladesh as a sovereign nation following its independence in 1971. Formal diplomatic relations were established on 21 March...Read More
We highlight similarities and differences in Indian, Japanese and Indonesian perceptions of the European Union (EU) at times of crisis, taking into account the Covid crisis and Russia’s war against Ukraine and assess whether these perceptions of three of the biggest players in the Indo-Pacific are linked to the way in which they perceive themselves...Read More
On 4 October 1975, China officially established diplomatic relations with Bangladesh. Five decades later, both countries have made significant advancements in areas of economic and defence collaboration. 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Bangladesh diplomatic relationship and is also the ‘China-Bangladesh Year of People-to-People Exchanges’. Despite the countries not sharing territorial borders, trade...Read More
The 2025 ASEAN Summit In his opening remarks at the 46th ASEAN Summit (Kuala Lumpur- 26-27 May) Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the current ASEAN chair, announced that he had written to President Trump, formally requesting a special USA-ASEAN summit[1] to negotiate the new tariff regime on behalf of all ASEAN member states. He...Read More
The Global Policy Institute is a research institute on international affairs. It is based in the City of London, and draws on both a rich pool of international thinkers, academics as well as policy and business professionals. The Institute gives non-partisan guidance to policymakers and decision takers in business, government, and NGOs.
