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Indian Express
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: Why Global Peace Index 2025 is important for your UPSC exam
Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today. (Relevance: UPSC frequently asks questions on reports and indices. The key takeaways from these reports are also essential fodder for your Mains examination for intricate points. In 2023, UPSC has asked questions on the World Water Development Report; in 2019, the question was on the Global Competitiveness Report. Therefore, it is important for you to get a comprehensive understanding of these indices.) Currently, there are 59 active state-based conflicts, the most since the end of WWII, and 1000 conflict-related deaths recorded in 17 countries in the last year, according to the 10th edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI) 2025 released by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). The report covers 163 countries, comprising 99.7 per cent of the world's population. The report states, there is a deterioration of global peacefulness by 0.36 per cent, marking the 13th deterioration in peacefulness in the last 17 years, with 74 countries improving and 87 deteriorating in peacefulness. 1. Since 2007, the report has been published annually and provides a comprehensive data-driven analysis of trends in peace, its economic value, and ways to develop peaceful societies. There are 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators used to measure the state of peace across three domains: the level of Societal Safety and Security; the extent of Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict; and the degree of Militarisation. 2. The internationalisation of conflicts is becoming more common, leading to difficulty in reaching solutions. The geopolitical fragmentation, increasing major power competition, and the rise in influence of middle-level powers are the reasons noted by the report for increased internationalisation. 3. The report finds that only nine per cent of conflicts today result in a decisive military victory, and just four per cent end with negotiated settlements. Reflecting the broader shift toward 'forever wars, ' pointing to the failure of traditional resolution strategies. To de-escalate these conflicts, the report suggested the need for sustained investment in positive peace, which is correlated with higher GDP growth, lower interest rates, societal wellbeing, and more resilience to shocks. 4. With the average country score deteriorating by 5.4 per cent, the report noted that the world has become less peaceful over the past 17 years since its inception in 2008. 94 countries out of 163 recorded deterioration, while 66 recorded improvements and one recorded no change. Between 2008 and 2023, seventeen of the 23 GPI indicators have deteriorated. 5. The report points to the major shift in international affairs in the past years. According to the report, 'Every nuclear-armed state has held or expanded its arsenal since 2022, and great-power rivalry is fuelling an arms race in advanced technologies, from AI-enabled drones to counter-space systems'. Recently, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report, 2025, also highlighted that the nuclear arms race has once again intensifed, especially in Asia. 6. Iceland continues to lead and set global standards in maintaining its position as the world's most peaceful country, a position it has held since 2008. Iceland is followed by Austria, New Zealand and Switzerland. Western and Central Asia are the most peaceful regions in the world. 7. India ranks 115th globally with a GPI score of 2.229, a 0.58 per cent improvement in its level of peacefulness over the past year. This marks a gradual upward trajectory from its rankings of 116 in 2024, 126 in 2023, 139 in 2020, and 141 in 2019. 8. According to the report, 'South Asia recorded the largest average deterioration of all the regions, with significant falls in peacefulness in both Bangladesh and Pakistan'. It is the second least peaceful region in the world. The least peaceful country in the region is Afghanistan. (Eurasia) Source: GPI, 2025 1. The Institute for Economics Peace, established in 2007 by Steve Killelea AM, publishes global reports that influence the 'global narratives on matters of security, defence, terrorism and development.' These reports include the Global Peace Index, Global Terrorism Index, and Ecological Threat Report. 2. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2025, terrorism remains a persistent global threat. 'The number of countries experiencing at least one terrorist incident increased from 58 to 66, the most countries affected since 2018.' Pakistan is among the countries where terrorist activities have increased since 2007. (Source: Global Terrorism Index, 2025) Consider the following indices: 1. Human Development Index 2. Global Peace Index 3. Global Gender Gap Index 4. Global Terrorism Index How many of the following indices are published by the Institute for Economics and Peace? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (Source: Top 10 most peaceful countries in the world 2025: Where does India rank in comparison to Pakistan?, How India's defence spending is aligned with its regional ambition, Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Top 10 most peaceful countries in the world 2025: Where does India rank in comparison to Pakistan?
Global Peace Index 2025 rankings list: Amid rising geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, the average level of global peacefulness has deteriorated by 0.36 per cent, according to the Global Peace Index (GPI) 2025 released by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). The findings show a concerning global trend: the world is becoming less peaceful, with increased instability driven by factors that often precede major conflicts. The report states that deterioration in peacefulness is now at its highest level since the end of World War II. Over the past 17 years, the average country score has declined by 5.4 per cent, marking a steady drop in global peace since 2008. However, there is a silver lining – 74 countries showed an improvement in their peacefulness this year. Iceland continues to lead and set global standards in maintaining its position as the world's most peaceful country, a position it has held since 2008. Conversely, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) remains the world's least peaceful region for the tenth consecutive year, with four of the ten lowest-ranked countries on the 2025 GPI. As a result, the gap between the most and least peaceful countries widened, with the 'peace inequality' rising by 11.7 per cent over the past two decades. Source: Global Peace Index (GPI) 2025 – Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) Source: Global Peace Index (GPI) 2025 – Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) India ranks 115th globally with a GPI score of 2.229, a 0.58 per cent improvement in its level of peacefulness over the past year. This marks a gradual upward trajectory from its rankings of 116 in 2024, 126 in 2023, 139 in 2020, and 141 in 2019. Despite being situated in South Asia – the second least peaceful region – India has shown improvements in nine indicators, while nine other indicators remained unchanged and three worsened. India ranks higher than Bangladesh at #123, Pakistan at #144, and Afghanistan at #158. The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia since 2022 has resulted in a significant decline in peacefulness in both countries. In a notable first time ever, Russia dropped down two ranks and stands at #163, making it the least peaceful country in the world on the 2025 GPI, followed by Ukraine at #162 as the second least peaceful country in the world. According to the report, the two countries are expected to continue being among the least peaceful in the world for the foreseeable future, as there appears to be no immediate resolution to the conflict in sight. The Institute of Economics and Peace's Global Peace Index (GPI) ranks 163 autonomous countries and territories based on their level of peacefulness to date through 23 qualitative and quantitative variables across three domains: societal safety and security, the scope of ongoing domestic and international conflict, and the degree of militarisation.
eNCA
3 days ago
- Business
- eNCA
Continued decline in global peacefulness
JOHANNESBURG - The 2025 Global Peace Index released by the Institute for Economics and Peace, reveals an ongoing decline in global peace. Rising conflicts, increasing geopolitical tensions and middle power assertiveness, are driving a fundamental reshaping of the global order. And if it continues, with major power competition and mounting debt in fragile economies the prospect for further conflict is even higher.
The Independent
26-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
I'm a former royal marine-turned-Labour MP – Rachel Reeves is missing the point on defence
When I was under daily attack from rockets and mortars as a royal marine in Afghanistan, we knew the importance of the humanitarians working alongside us. Doctors, engineers and general staff, all were vital parts of our mission to deliver peace and stability in extraordinarily difficult circumstances. When much of the infrastructure was destroyed in the town of Garmsir, forcing residents to flee to Taliban -controlled areas, it was UK and international aid that helped rebuild health clinics, roads and houses – working in conjunction with the British and American troops providing security. People duly returned to Garmsir, and it turned our allies in the Afghan Government into a more credible force. When I worked in the tribal districts of Pakistan, UK aid helped to bring good governance to areas that were infamous for instability and exporting terrorism. It was also UK aid that provided the Pakistani government with expert advice on setting up courts, health centres, schooling, and better agriculture. Improving people's lives and providing justice gave young men alternatives to joining armed groups – making us all safer. I later worked with Syrian civil society and refugee groups in the region as an aid worker. As that civil war comes to an end, it will be the groups that UK aid supported which might offer the best hope of achieving a tolerant and stable country. What these experiences taught me is that the military must work hand-in-hand with aid organisations and civil society. It is the most effective way to successfully stabilise fragile states, confront the roots of extremism, and – crucially – prevent conflicts from spreading or from breaking out in the first place. When we reduce our development spending, we reduce our capacity to deal with conflict at the root, and our defence spending needs to go up to compensate for it. Prevention is better than cure. As research by the Institute for Economics and Peace has found, each £1 we spend on conflict prevention can save £16 that otherwise needs to be spent to mitigate the destruction caused by conflict. The chancellor has announced the government will accelerate its plan to reduce aid spending to just 0.3 per cent of national income to fund the boost to the defence budget, which means finding nearly £5bn of savings by next year – but this means the risks to the UK and the defence costs of responding to them will increase. And it is not only in war zones that the consequences of cutting the development budget will be felt. More conflict means they will also be felt in the UK if food and energy prices spike, if irregular migration rises, and if threats from extremist groups grow. Our military and security services will face those challenges at the very time when their attention must be focused on the desperate situation in Ukraine. To be clear, I strongly support increasing the defence budget to 2.5 per cent of GDP, with the ambition to go further in the next Parliament. I still remember the massive underfunding we faced in Afghanistan almost 20 years ago. Many of us had to buy our own body armour. We were driving unarmoured Land Rovers in a country littered with IEDs and Soviet landmines. Defence underfunding is not new. With Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine now in its third year, it has never been more important to rebuild the capability to show strength and support for our allies in Europe. This is the right course of action. The most effective way to ensure peace in Europe is through strength. However, state-on-state conflict is not the only threat to the UK and its interests. There are more active conflicts across the globe than at any time since the end of the Second World War in places like Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, Myanmar and the Sahel. As we increase our defence capabilities, we must ensure that UK Aid is helping to prevent and mitigate conflicts like these. In Afghanistan, our armed forces worked side by side with aid workers, just as British-backed aid workers are now in Ukraine alongside brave Ukrainian soldiers. There are so many stories of the courage of aid workers across the world's conflict zones, where fighting is causing destruction, starvation and healthcare emergencies. As a former royal marine, I understand the need to raise defence spending. But I urge the government to maintain as much of the vital development budget as we can. Our investments in conflict zones and our work preventing conflicts make us all safer. Alex Ballinger MP served in the Royal Marines from 2005 to 2013. He is now the Labour MP for Halesowen and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Armed Forces.
Morocco World
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Morocco Leads Fight Against Terrorism in Latest Global Index
Rabat – Morocco has emerged as one of the world's safest nations, according to the 2025 Global Terrorism Index report from the Institute for Economics and Peace. The report notably lists Morocco among the four countries in the Middle East and North Africa region that registered scores of zero in terrorist incidents, including Kuwait, Qatar, and Sudan. These countries 'had been free of terrorist activity for at least the past five years,' the report noted. Despite regional threats Morocco built on years of strategic security developments and now outranks several European countries in safety metrics. The country strengthened its anti-terrorism approach by toughening penalties for terrorist activities and revising laws to crack down on individuals seeking terrorist training. It enhanced the monitoring of suspicious financial transfers and built stronger partnerships with international organizations like Interpol and the European Union. In 2023, Morocco launched an anti-extremism program with the EU to combat violent extremism and terrorism through prevention and education. The terrorism landscape continues to evolve in dangerous ways. The Sahel region accounted for over 30% of terrorism-related deaths in 2024, with attacks multiplying in Niger following the withdrawal of French and American forces, according to the report. It further noted that 90% of terrorism victims are in armed conflict zones, demonstrating the direct link between instability and extremism. According to the report, Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups like Nosrat al-Islam pose increasing threats across the Sahel desert, endangering stability throughout North Africa, including Morocco. Stretching from Mauritania to Sudan, the Sahel has become a global terrorism hotspot. In 2020, the region recorded over 13,800 victims, with Burkina Faso experiencing a staggering 575% increase in attacks. The report also described how recent geopolitical shifts in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso — particularly their growing alignment with Russia and China — created security gaps that terrorist groups quickly took advantage of. Meanwhile, and with the growing terrorist threats in the Sahel region, Morocco responded by enhancing border controls and deploying advanced technologies to prevent terrorist infiltration. The country has recently foiled a terrorist plot that was planned by a terrorist cell 'Khalifa Lions in Maghrib Al-Aksa,' which had direct links with an ISIS leader operating in the African Sahel Region. Read also: Morocco's BCIJ Latest Counter-Terrorism Operation, Details, Regional Context Today's terrorist groups embrace digital strategies beyond physical violence. The report notes that 60% of terrorist attacks go unclaimed by organized groups, pointing to the rise of lone-wolf terrorism fueled by technology and digital platforms spreading extremist ideologies. Secure messaging apps like Telegram enable radical propaganda to spread widely. However, Morocco has created a digital platform 'Yakada,' through which citizens can report terrorist or extremist content they come across on social media. Through these comprehensive security measures and international cooperation, Morocco continues to defend itself against evolving terrorism threats while establishing itself as a regional security leader. Morocco's efforts in counterterrorism have been gaining acclaim recently with several international reports commending the country's strategy in defying terrorist threats.
