Mohanasakthivel J

Tariff-Free but Not Barrier-Free: Africa’s Challenge in the Chinese Market

China’s zero-tariff offer on imports from African countries removes a visible barrier while leaving the deeper trade imbalance untouched.

Mohanasakthivel J |
June 09, 2026 |
IDSA Comments

The G20 in South Africa: Outcomes and Assessment

The 2025 G20 Summit under South Africa's presidency marked a pivotal moment in contemporary multilateralism, highlighting Africa's growing role in global governance. Building on successive Global South presidencies, the summit foregrounded debt distress, climate vulnerability, and critical mineral governance within a fragmented geopolitical context. While the adoption of a leaders' declaration demonstrated diplomatic success, outcomes remained largely incremental, with limited structural reform in global financial and trade architectures. The summit exposed a key paradox, normative recognition of developing country concerns without substantive redistribution. Ultimately, it underscored both the persistence of multilateralism and the need for deeper institutional transformation to address systemic inequalities.

Mohanasakthivel J |
July-December 2025 |
Africa Trends

Conflict Dynamics in Mozambique and India’s LNG Investments

The potential withdrawal of Rwanda’s troops from northern Mozambique highlights the fragility of security in resource-rich conflict zones like Cabo Delgado.

Mohanasakthivel J |
April 16, 2026 |
Issue Brief

Chemical Weapons in Sudan’s Civil War: Credibility, Consequences, and the Need for Accountability

This article examines the renewed concerns about chemical-weapons use in Sudan's civil war. Allegations of chlorinegas deployment by the Sudanese Armed Forces reflect weakening global norms, persistent impunity, and uneven international responses. The case underscores the urgent need to reinforce chemical weapons non-proliferation and strengthen mechanisms for accountability.

Mohanasakthivel J |
July-December 2025 |
CBW Magazine

TICAD 9 and the Indian Ocean: Prospects for India–Japan Collaboration

The initiatives announced during the TICAD9 summit in Yokohama offer a second chance to reinvigorate India-Japan collaboration in Africa.

ECOWAS Leadership Transition: Between Symbolism and Substance

ECOWAS can reassert its role as a central driver of West Africa’s economic integration and political stability with sustained political will and coordinated policy implementation.

Mohanasakthivel J |
July 28, 2025 |
IDSA Comments

The Quad, Africa, and Competition for Critical Minerals

The Quad can offer a compelling, inclusive alternative to China’s mineral dominance through an Africa-centered critical minerals strategy.

Mohanasakthivel J |
July 18, 2025 |
Issue Brief

The Unfinished Quest: India’s Search for Major Power Status from Nehru to Modi | T.V. Paul, Oxford University Press, New York, USA, 2024, 263 pp.,$25 (Hardcover) ISBN: 9780197669990

T.V. Paul’s The Unfinished Quest: India’s Search for Major Power Status from Nehru to Modi provides a rigorous and thought-provoking examination of India’s long-standing aspiration for global recognition. As a distinguished scholar of International Relations, Paul blends historical insights, theoretical frameworks, and empirical data to explore India’s evolving status aspirations, geopolitical constraints, and internal contradictions.

Mohanasakthivel J |
January-February 2025 |
Strategic Analysis

From Discord to Dialogue: The Ethiopia–Somalia Peace Agreement

The Ankara Declaration marks a significant step in Ethiopia's push for Red Sea access, fostering cooperation with Somalia while easing regional tensions.

Mohanasakthivel J |
December 27, 2024 |
IDSA Comments

Rising Tensions in the Horn: Ethiopia, Egypt and Somalia on a Collision Course

Ethiopia's foreign policy priorities in the Horn of Africa on maritime access and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam have fuelled tensions with both Somalia and Egypt.