Observer Research Foundation America

20/08/2026

While steel production contributes to about 8% of global greenhouse emissions, most emissions come from earlier in the production process — specifically during ironmaking.

With 90% of global ironmaking still reliant on metallurgical coal, is crucial in decarbonizing the industry.

Piyush Verma and Caroline Arkalji break down green iron and how it could create new dependencies, new corridors, and new forms of economic and strategic leverage:

"One technology to develop this involves replacing coal with hydrogen — particularly produced from renewable — in the process of removing oxygen from iron ore. This could also change the geography of the industry: ironmaking can move away from traditional steel hubs to regions with high quality ore, abundant renewable energy, and the ability to produce green hydrogen at scale, such as . Australian companies such as Rio Tinto, Fortescue, and BHP are already exploring hydrogen ready ironmaking, renewable powered mining, and early green iron projects. Similarly, ’s high-grade iron ore reserves are especially suited to direct reduction and could become an important source of green iron for both Asian and European markets."

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By Caroline Arkalji and Piyush Verma Green iron could become an important energy security and industrial competitiveness issue. Reducing dependence on imported coal, building domestic clean industrial capacity, and preparing for future export markets could all strengthen India’s long-term position...

17/08/2026

On August 7, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey concluded a joint defense agreement in Mecca, under which an armed attack on one would be considered an attack on all.

What is the significance of the Mecca Agreement for India?

Ammar Yasir Nainar explains:

"India will see the agreement’s effects across several areas beginning with military diplomacy and maritime security. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia already operate together under the Combined Maritime Task Force-150, conducting maritime security operations near the Gulf of Oman. Pakistan assumed command from Saudi Arabia in 2026 and Riyadh since then, is creating a coalition to protect Red Sea shipping. In military diplomacy, Pakistan conducts regular bilateral army, navy and air force exercises with Saudi Arabia and Turkey respectively. And each have joined one another’s multinational exercises — Pakistan’s AMAN (maritime), Turkey’s Anatolian Eagle (air), and Saudi Arabia’s North Thunder (land) — and hold frequent staff talks and defense dialogues too."

Full piece:

By Ammar Nainar In the long run, India will continue to deepen defense cooperation with a select group of West Asian and Mediterranean countries in partial response to developments such as the Mecca agreement.

15/08/2026

On , Dhruva Jaishankar discusses how ’s security agreements with the and , alongside Chinese military activity around , have contributed to heightened security competition in the region with the and its allies.

Watch to learn more: https://bit.ly/4wtjfUW

15/08/2026

🎧 LISTEN NOW: Season 2 Episode #18 🎧

In this week’s episode of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo assess the political implications of the recent crisis in , Spain as it tested the ’s new pact on migration and asylum and renewed the broader immigration debate in Europe. They also break down geopolitics, highlighting dependent economies, the growing impacts from , and competition between the United States and its allies with , before ending on India’s quiet but gradual engagement in the region.

Around the World with Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo premieres on Fridays, tune in on:

▶️ YouTube: https://bit.ly/4wrBVo2

🎙️ Spotify: https://bit.ly/4wtjfUW

🔉 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4zk6yOI

🌐 ORF America website: https://bit.ly/4xBB1WR

In this week’s episode of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar...

14/08/2026

The election of Cheng Li-wun as Chair of the (KMT) in October 2025 initially appeared to offer the People’s Republic of (PRC) its strongest political partner in in years.

While Cheng’s pro-China platform initially made her popular with the KMT base, she has faced backlash from within her own party, Washington, and the Taiwanese electorate.

Dylan Morgan argues that domestic political constraints will determine how far Cheng can move toward accommodating Beijing:

“While the CCP may view Cheng as an opportunity to revive engagement, Taiwan’s political realities continue to place limits on how far she can move towards accommodating Beijing. Her current efforts to moderate her platform and temper pushback may be able to help her make inroads with a broader audience. Taiwan’s political future has important regional and global implications. Should Cheng and a pro-China, accommodationist KMT faction come to power after the 2028 presidential elections, Xi will be relatively less restrained in advancing his increasingly aggressive reunification strategy. Such a shift could also alter the regional deterrence strategy of the United States and its allies, raising the likelihood of a political or military crisis with China.”

Read more:

By Dylan Morgan While the CCP may view Cheng as an opportunity to revive engagement, Taiwan’s political realities continue to place limits on how far she can move towards accommodating Beijing. Her current efforts to moderate her platform and temper pushback may be able to help her make inroads wi...

14/08/2026

The election of Cheng Li-wun as Chair of the (KMT) in October 2025 initially appeared to offer the People’s Republic of (PRC) its strongest political partner in in years.

While Cheng’s pro-China platform initially made her popular with the KMT base, she has faced backlash from within her own party, Washington, and the Taiwanese electorate.

Dylan Morgan argues that domestic political constraints will determine how far Cheng can move toward accommodating :

“While the CCP may view Cheng as an opportunity to revive engagement, Taiwan’s political realities continue to place limits on how far she can move towards accommodating Beijing. Her current efforts to moderate her platform and temper pushback may be able to help her make inroads with a broader audience. Taiwan’s political future has important regional and global implications. Should Cheng and a pro-China, accommodationist KMT faction come to power after the 2028 presidential elections, Xi will be relatively less restrained in advancing his increasingly aggressive reunification strategy. Such a shift could also alter the regional deterrence strategy of the United States and its allies, raising the likelihood of a political or military crisis with China.”

Read more:

By Dylan Morgan While the CCP may view Cheng as an opportunity to revive engagement, Taiwan’s political realities continue to place limits on how far she can move towards accommodating Beijing. Her current efforts to moderate her platform and temper pushback may be able to help her make inroads wi...

13/08/2026

🚨New Episode Out Early🚨

In late July, tens of thousands of migrants crossed from into the Spanish enclave of . This crisis catapulted into the headlines, fueling the anti-migrant infrastructure of ’s far right.

Since the 2015 European migrant crisis, the failure by centrist parties to respond to concerns over integration, public services, and labor competition with concrete policies has pushed voters into the arms of the far right, argues Rachel Rizzo.

For more, listen to 👉 https://bit.ly/4wrBVo2

10/08/2026

Announcing ORF America Energy and Climate Team’s new +Indonesia Intergovernmental Advisory Group—current and former policymakers, diplomats, and senior experts from India, Brazil, South Africa, and Indonesia who will help guide the next phase of our IBSA+Indonesia Transitions initiative.

We look forward to working with this distinguished advisory group in the months ahead as we advance practical cooperation on clean energy, clean trade, resilient supply chains, and industrial decarbonization.

07/08/2026

Annual spending is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2026.

While this eye-popping financial investment might grab headlines, the global infrastructure buildout is changing how AI competition should be understood.

Andreas Kuehn and Tara Chawla argue that it is no longer only who trains the most advanced AI language models, but who can assemble and control the full AI stack:

“The AI buildout is not simply a race for more advanced accelerators, but an infrastructure-centered contest to turn , , and capital into usable computing capacity. Chips matter only when installed, powered, cooled, networked, and connected to customers. As bottlenecks shift from chips toward power, land, and connectivity, advantage will accrue to states and firms capable of coordinating investment and supply chains across the full AI stack. Data centers and their supporting networks are consequently becoming strategic infrastructure, with implications for economic security, resilience, and national policy. The decisive measure will not be announced spending or planned capacity, but how quickly those commitments become reliable, operational computing capacity.”

Read more:

By Andreas Kuehn and Tara Chawla The AI buildout is not simply a race for more advanced accelerators, but an infrastructure-centered contest to turn technology, energy, and capital into usable computing capacity. The decisive measure will not be announced spending or planned capacity, but how quick

06/08/2026

Digital currencies are moving from pilot projects into real-world financial systems. As adoption grows, the debate is shifting towards governance, regulation and the long-term implications for monetary policy, payments and financial sovereignty.

Swipe through for key insights from "Digital Currencies: From Idea to Implementation", featured in the third edition of : https://bit.ly/4hMe7re