The Covid-19 pandemic that originated in China in December 2019 has since spread like wildfire from one country to another and rattled the entire world. Lockdowns have been announced in most countries, with the objectives of flattening the virus spread curve, freeing the health care system from overloading and saving precious lives.

But lockdowns have led to severe disruption in economic activities and public disenchantment with many of their leaders for either failing to shield them from the tentacles of the virus by judicious action and / or for failure to protect them from the effects of recession and economic meltdown. Many world leaders, have been caught unawares and clearly exposed, by Covid-19. Thus, the global order is witnessing serious changes.

The geo-political and geo-economic fallout of the Covid pandemic is unlike any other global crisis in the post-war era. While the Plague and the Spanish flu took their toll on human lives, their geographical impact was not this spread out and hence the geo-political and geo-economic impact was non-existent. In economic terms, the Great Depression is the closest parallel but it did not cause death or fear of death in nations, governments and populations.

The two Great Wars also do not fit into the Covid matrix. Today, given the global connect, the situation is different. In context, it becomes pertinent for an aspirational power like India to assess the emerging global situation and relate them to domestic conditions and emerging power-projections, over the short, medium and long terms.

With this objective, Madras Management Association (MMA), Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and Observer Research Foundation (ORF) have teamed up to initiate dialogues with eminent personalities / thought leaders from various fields.