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Author name: Institute For Policy Research & Governance

Articles, Public Policy

Transnational Educational Migration: A Comparative Review of Policy Responses to Internationalisation in Germany and the Netherlands

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Authors : Saba Suhail Khan , Ankita Hansda , Fathima Thamanna PP , Barnali Roy

Abstract

Internationalisation of higher education has become increasingly connected with international student mobility, migration and labour-market policy. This study examines how Germany and the Netherlands responded to these developments. Although both countries operate within a shared European higher education and migration environment, their policy responses have developed in different directions. A similar system design was used to compare these two cases. The analysis draws on a corpus of 37 legislative, parliamentary and policy documents and combines descriptive statistics, text-as-data analysis and critical discourse analysis based on Fairclough’s three-dimensional framework. Policy documents were examined across four broad policy orientations; attraction, management, retention and labour and fourteen related policy instruments. The comparison shows that Germany has developed a comparatively expansive approach to internationalisation. International students are increasingly viewed not only as participants in higher education but also as a potential source of skilled labour in response to demographic change and workforce shortages. The Netherlands has followed a more managed and selective approach. While the academic and economic value of internationalisation continues to be recognised, greater attention has been given to housing pressures, institutional capacity, language and access for domestic students. These differences suggest that the policy divide cannot be reduced to a simple distinction between open and restrictive systems. Instead, national responses reflect different combinations of labour-market needs, demographic pressures, institutional capacity and domestic social priorities. The study highlights the need for internationalisation policies that balance educational openness with sustainable institutional capacity, labour-market needs and broader social considerations.

Keywords:
 Transnational Educational Migration, International Student Mobility, Internationalisation of Higher Education, Comparative Policy Analysis, Policy Divergence, Policy Discourse, Germany, The Netherlands.

Articles, International Relations

The Growing Strategic Importance of the Indo-Pacific: Challenges and Opportunities for Asian Countries

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Authors : Subhash Gill , Sneha Gupta

ABSTRACT

The current study examines how the Indo-Pacific architecture is perceived by India and China and how these visions shape economic and diplomatic relations in the region. The study asks how India’s and China’s competing visions of the Indo-Pacific shape their economic and diplomatic engagement with regional actors, particularly ASEAN. The paper argues that Chinese and Indian strategic principles and diplomatic approaches regarding regional dynamics are necessary contexts for understanding the economic and political policies pursued through regional institutional frameworks. It demonstrates that China primarily frames the Indo-Pacific through economic connectivity and regional multipolarity, while India increasingly approaches the region through strategic balancing, maritime security and diversified economic partnerships. Previous research papers in the field mostly examined these dynamics from a one-country perspective, treating economic and political dimensions mostly separately; however, this paper aims to provide a comparative understanding of two visions represented by Indo-Pacific dominant players based on their official statements and bilateral and multilateral initiatives. This methodological approach facilitates the understanding of recent institutional crises in renewed India-China dialogues and possible diplomatic resolutions based on analysis of key state principles pursued by both sides to achieve stable maritime security and economic cooperation.

KEYWORDS:
Indo-Pacific, maritime security, economic cooperation, India, China, ASEAN

Articles, Environment & Climate Change

Addressing the Interconnected Impacts of Climate Change on Vulnerable Communities through Integrated Policy Interventions and Emerging Technologies for Equitable Climate Adaptation

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Authors : Rijjul Madaan , Danusri J , Saanvi Srivastava , Ochia Mathew Chidike , Richik Ghosal , Ritvik Sharma

ABSTRACT

Climate change is reshaping where and how vulnerable communities are able to live, while unequal access to mobility, energy and adaptive resources shapes their capacity to respond. This paper thus attempts to ask; what are the interconnected impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities, and how can integrated policy interventions leverage emerging technologies to advance equitable climate adoption? It draws on a collaborative section based qualitative analysis of government, UN, and academic secondary sources, and examines climate-induced migration through Sundar Sarukkai’s framework of lived experience freedoms; to be a part of, to leave, and to modify an environment. This exhibits how caste, gender,and household wealth can shape who is able to migrate, who is left behind as a “trapped population”, and who benefits from remittance- funded adaptation. It then traces how the same structural inequality shapes energy insecurity in India, and by means of a comparative case study, in Nigeria, where climate driven mobility redistributes rather than resolves energy demand. The paper thus evaluates the capacity of emerging technologies; GIS, remote sensing, digital twins, and artificial intelligence, to move adaptation planning across tangents from being reactive in nature to anticipatory in practice. It however also acknowledges that technological maturity is consistently outpaced by institutional and data constraints, and AI governance introduces its own risks around bias, privacy, and accountability that must be managed alongside its benefits. Synthesising these findings, the paper proposes an integrated policy framework of five interdependent pillars; vulnerability mapping, mobility planning, climate energy planning, anticipatory technology governance, and equitable AI governance. These, put together, argue that equitable adaptation depends less on developing new technology than on embedding it within functioning, accountable and public centred institutions.

Keywords:
 Climate-induced migration; Energy insecurity; Emerging technologies; AI governance; Climate adaptation policy; Vulnerable communities; India–Nigeria comparative analysis

Articles, International Relations

Crowdsourced Intelligence vs. AI Propaganda: The Challenges of Global Governance in the Age of Digital Warfare

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Authors : Pragati Khanna , Harsh Dixit , Jannet Emma Tonateni Fransisco , Varsha Dhio Dora , Trisha Dev

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence has fundamentally changed the modern digital operation, whereby creating a constant struggle between what is perceived to be true and the human reality. This study uses a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive study using secondary data from academic journals, policy documents and institutional reports to examine the interaction between crowdsourced Open-Sourced Intelligence (OSINT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven propaganda in modern warfare, alongside the global governance challenges that arise from their interaction. Findings reveal that there is a serious tension within the digital information ecosystem: whilst generative Artificial Intelligence promotes public opinions to spread disinformation and misinformation that is persuasive and may manipulate political processes, crowdsourced intelligence offers real-time verification and transparency. There are Regulatory Frameworks such as the European Union’s AI Act and Digital Services Act that serve as blueprints to counter AI-driven manipulation from technical solutions to the adoption of human-centered governance models. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that it is important to maintain digital information integrity by balancing computational tools with collaborative human verification to foster resilience against any revolving threats in digital security and global governance.

Keywords :
 Artificial Intelligence, Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), Crowdsourced Verification, AI-Driven Propaganda, Digital Warfare, Global Governance, Disinformation, Epistemic Sovereignty.

Articles, Public Policy

Autonomy on Paper, Autonomy in Practice: Examining the Enablers and Barriers to Reproductive Choice in India

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Authors : Shruti Nair , Sneha Kohli , Staicy Thomas

Abstract

The paper examines the evolution of reproductive autonomy in India and evaluates whether legal and judicial recognition has translated into meaningful access to abortion. It discusses various aspects like theoretical, judicial, legal, socio-economic, and international comparisons, that are needed to evaluate whether India has in fact transitioned towards reproductive autonomy or not. For this analysis, it uses the qualitative method with secondary data evidence. Through this analysis, the paper finds that India has moved towards recognizing reproductive autonomy as an integral implicit component of constitutional rights as interpreted through judicial and legislative reforms. However, this recognition is incomplete in practice. Since a persistent lack of harmony between constitutional principles- articles 14, 15, 21, judicial interpretations- X v. Principal Secretary (2022) and legal frameworks, MTP Act 1971 and its 2021 amendment, POCSO Act, 2012, in India has made it difficult to achieve the objective of reproductive autonomy. Moreover, the paper also finds that the provisions governing abortion of adolescent girls are not in line with the realities of the day and the health systems are also not equipped properly to provide abortion services and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and contraception information. Thus, all these factors together push women and girls towards unsafe options showing that legal recognition must be accompanied by socio-economic realities.

Keywords:
 Reproductive Autonomy, Pro Choice and Pro Life, Abortion Law Liberalization, Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), MTP Act, 2021, NFHS-5

Articles, Public Policy

Evaluating the Implementation of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act: An Analysis of Administrative Access and Article 21

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Authors : Anuja Amralkar , Yashaswini Yadav , Anushka Dixit

ABSTRACT

This study examines the legal, constitutional, and administrative effects of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act and the later 2026 amendment, alongside the constitutional protections guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, 19, and 21 of the Indian Constitution and the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in NALSA v. Union of India. By looking closely at how procedural delays, medical board rules, and mandatory ID checks create administrative gatekeeping hurdles that impact personal dignity, this research maps out a constructive way forward using global models and cooperative federalism. Using a qualitative doctrinal and desk-based legal and policy analysis rather than primary field case studies, the paper clearly separates what the written statutory text says from actual administrative realities and prospective projections. It highlights practical policy solutions, such as official selfidentification, simpler paperwork, community support groups, and better trans-friendly healthcare. Ultimately, this study shows how public systems can be reformed to truly protect personal dignity, guarantee fair welfare access, and uphold constitutional rights for all genderdiverse people.

Keywords:
 Transgender Rights, NALSA Precedent, Article 14, 15, 19 and 21, Constitutional Protections, Self-Identification, Cooperative Federalism, Personal Dignity, Gender Diversity

Articles, International Relations

POWER, RHETORIC & PERCEPTION: A REALIST ANALYSIS OF THREAT CONSTRUCTION IN INDIACHINA RELATIONS POST-GALWAN CRISIS

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Authors : Nandiinii Gupta , Aanvi Kapoor , Bhumi Goyal , Khushal Goel , Lumbini Anand , Venika Sai Talluri

ABSTRACT

The Galwan Valley clash in June 2020 changed the way India and China saw each other. It began as a military clash along the Line of Actual Control, but its effects went beyond that of a border conflict. It changed how both countries talked about security, how they built their narratives, and how they acted toward one another. This study analyses this shift through the lens of power, rhetoric and perception. It aims to understand how China’s image as a threat changed within India’s foreign policy after Galwan. In order to provide a clearer picture, the study compares Galwan to the 2017 Doklam standoff. It draws on public statements, official press releases, and parliamentary records from both India and China, examining them for shifts in tone, recurring themes, and how each country described the other’s intentions. The findings show that both India and China constructed threats by blaming the other side’s intentions. Each used existing bilateral agreements selectively, framing them in ways that supported its own position. Both also pointed to the other’s infrastructure projects as evidence of an attempt to alter the existing situation on the ground. One key difference between the two crises lies in how they ended. Doklam was resolved through diplomatic talks, and both sides were able to present the outcome as a success. Galwan did not end this way. It led instead to a prolonged military stand-off, in which the confidence-building measures that had once been trusted lost their credibility rather than restoring it. Drawing on Walt’s Balance of Threat Theory, the study argues that the shift in India’s perception of China after Galwan was greater than what military economic changes alone could explain. This suggests that perception, shaped by narrative and rhetoric, played a role as significant as material capability itself. Briefly, the shift in India’s view of China was not just about power. It was about how India and China told stories about each other, and how those stories reshaped the way India came to see China as a threat.

KEYWORDS:
 Indo-China relations, Galwan Crisis, Threat Construction, Balance of Threat Theory, Strategic Rhetoric, Realism, Line of Actual Control (LAC), Narrative and Perception

Articles, Public Policy

RETHINKING EMPLOYABILITY: IS NEP 2020 RELEVANT FOR INDIA’S AIDRIVEN FUTURE?

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Authors : Mannat Siwach , Siddhant Pandey , Priyanshi Jha , Mishka Singh , Tarandeep Kaur , Rajnish Katare

ABSTRACT

Artificial Intelligence, as a disruptive force, is bringing unprecedented changes in the skills and competencies required for a graduate to become employable in today’s day and age; however, India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has come forward as a framework for strengthening higher education through the inclusion of multidisciplinary learning, skill development, practical exposure, and increasing alignment with industry requirements. This paper examines whether these strategies remain sufficiently responsive to an evolving AIdriven labour market. The study employs a mixed-method approach, combining a review of existing literature with primary questionnaire-based research. On the survey responses of students and professionals, the study applies descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, percentages, and mean scores to assess perceptions of implementation, AI readiness, and emerging skill requirements. Further, it uses a thematic analysis to compare the emerging patterns with themes identified in the literature. The findings indicate that although NEP 2020 provides a relevant framework for developing multidisciplinary and future-oriented competencies, gaps remain between its intended provisions and students’ practical exposure to AI-related skills, industry requirements, and employability preparation, suggesting that the policy is conceptually relevant but insufficiently aligned with emerging AI-era requirements. The study recommends increased emphasis on effective policy implementation and a shift in the core framework towards AI literacy, upskilling and greater integration of digital and data capabilities within higher education.

Keywords
 National Education Policy 2020, Employability, AI Literacy, Multidisciplinary Learning, Higher Education, Future-ready Skills

Articles, Public Policy

The Educated Unemployed: Evaluating the Effect of PMKVY on Employment Outcomes for India’s Educated Youth

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Authors : Aditi Tiwari , Aditi Thakur , Upama Paul

Abstract

India’s unemployment sector showcases an unusual trend. Unemployment rises with education rather than falling. This study is being conducted to find whether the source of this issue lies in the demand side or the supply side of the sector. The supply side predicts that the issue lies with the lack of skills within the youth. Whereas the demand side of the issue states the problem lies in the volume of formal wage jobs present in the economy. We find through our research that available evidence is stronger in support of the demand side explanation of the problem. This evidence is presented through the administrative and audit reports of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas yojana, the periodic labour force data and the CAG’s 2025 report. The analysis relies on aggregate secondary data rather than individual level data, therefore these findings are presented as associations and not established causal effects. The study showcases how while upskilling is important, it is not enough to solve the problem of educated unemployment within the country.

Keywords:
 Educated unemployment, Periodic Labour Force Survey, skill development, PMKVY, labour demand

Articles, International Relations

CHOKEPOINTS CUT BOTH WAYS: U.S. Advanced Semiconductor Controls and China’s Critical-Mineral and RareEarth Controls, October 2022–June 2026

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Authors : Mpilontle Mbambo , Dhanvi Sharma , Vanshika Lodhi , Sampurna Bhowmik

Abstract

Export controls are increasingly central to U.S.-China economic competition. This article compares U.S. restrictions on advanced semiconductors and semiconductor-manufacturing capabilities with China’s controls on selected critical minerals, rare-earth elements, magnets, and related technologies between October 2022 and June 2026. It distinguishes three forms of strategic leverage: denial, bargaining, and informational leverage. Drawing on weaponisedinterdependence theory, the analysis examines regulatory design, implementation, disruption, and adaptation. The comparison suggests that U.S. controls can slow frontier capability accumulation but depend heavily on allied coordination, while Chinese controls can generate faster supply disruption but also stronger incentives for diversification. In both cases, leverage is conditional on administrative capacity, coalition cohesion, substitutability, and the speed of network escape.

Keywords:
 weaponised interdependence; semiconductors; critical minerals; rare earths; export controls; geoeconomics; United States-China rivalry; supply-chain security; economic statecraft

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