... worries, and rhetoric, a new Great Game is not in sight
Timofei Bordachev
, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club, dispels myths of great power rivalry in Central Asia, highlighting that sober, coequal engagement with the region will do Russia more good than a competition-centric approach ever could. Despite the fears, worries, and rhetoric, a new Great Game is not in sight.
As the nature of the military-political crisis in relations between Russia and the West shifts towards a new stage ...
Opportunities for Expanding Educational Mobility from India
Educational cooperation between Russia and India occupies a significant place within the broader framework of bilateral relations. At the highest political level, there is a consistently articulated view that this area holds substantial potential for further development. Russia assigns ...
RIAC and Gateway House Report #113 / 2026
RIAC and Gateway House Report #113 / 2026
A sharp increase in economic cooperation became the most distinct feature in Russia–India relations in this decade. Despite both countries being major global economies, their partnership in trade and investment still holds large untapped potential for further growth. The following report proposes paths for expanding bilateral ...
... polemics, limiting itself to a general formula of the need for peaceful resolution and dialogue. Thus, this aspect of the visit remained in the realm of political–normative position articulation and did affect the economic agenda of negotiations.
The Russian Factor
Viewed through the prism of the Russian–German–Chinese trilateral configuration, Chancellor Merz’s visit to the PRC transcends a purely bilateral dimension. Although it did not alter Berlin’s firm policy toward the Russian Federation,...
On March 10, 2026, a closed round table “Russia-Pakistan Relations amid Changing Global and Regional Dynamics” was held
On March 10, 2026, a closed round table “Russia-Pakistan Relations amid Changing Global and Regional Dynamics” was held. Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) ...
... disruptions. Iran now has a new political leadership, yet Tehran continues to resist. The results of the first round of the conflict suggest the following preliminary balance of gains and losses for the key participants.
Ivan Timofeev:
The Iranian Crisis and Russia: Seven Lessons
Israel
The country is at the forefront of the military operation against Iran. For Israel, the attack on Iran is a logical continuation of the long and irreconcilable struggle between the two countries. Israel has already achieved ...
... impoverishment of its population. Should Iran manage to endure this round of aggression, it is unlikely to be the last—unless the cost of the current invasion proves prohibitive for all parties involved. The situation offers several important lessons for Russia.
Ivan Timofeev:
Military Operation Against Iran: A Realistic Scenario?
Lesson 1: Sanctions are followed by the use of military force
The United States has imposed sanctions on Iran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. While Iran has withstood ...
It is not only in Iran's interest, but also in the interest of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Russia, and Turkey, for Iran to reconnect to the Southern Caucasus railway network through both the Rasht-Astara and Julfa-Nakhichevan routes after three decades
The Jolfa–Nakhichevan railway, constructed 109 years ago, constitutes the cheapest, logistically ...
... culture of caution, which limits transparency and predictability, both of which are essential for deeper forms of economic integration. At the same time, security cooperation remains the only domain in which all major powers within the SCO such as China, Russia, and India can engage without compromising their strategic autonomy or national interests. For Russia in particular, this architecture is especially valuable. In a period of shifting regional alignments, the SCO provides Moscow with a reliable ...
Having failed as an architectural idea, European security remains a practical problem for Russia
Security issues in Europe are undergoing both real-world and conceptual changes. On a real-world level, the region is in the midst of a severe political crisis. Its epicentre is the Ukraine conflict, and its core lies in the contradictions between ...
