The emergence of the geopolitical scene of China and India is shaking up the world. China is a global manufacturing giant that has bolstered economies as they recover; India, the world’s largest democracy, is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. The paper discusses the complex and nuanced challenge that the India-China rivalry presents to South Asian politics. It examines the dynamics of their relationship, their influence within international organisations, and the implications of their contestation for the domestic and foreign policies of South Asian states. Based on a qualitative research design, this study comprises an examination of historical narratives, case studies of select South Asian countries, and an analysis of geopolitical constructs and theories. The India-China rivalry has a significant impact on regional alliances, security concerns, and the application of soft power and cultural diplomacy in South Asia, according to the findings

The independence of the legal profession is a key element of the rule of law and access to justice. This article offers a brief overview of how institutional and functional guarantees for lawyers’ independence can be strengthened in a reforming legal system, using Uzbekistan as an example. It distinguishes between the institutional independence of the bar as a self-governing body and the functional independence of individual lawyers. The analysis focuses on self-governance, admission and discipline, state-funded legal aid, protection of lawyer–client privilege and immunity, and digitalisation.

The article analyzes the institutional and human dimensions of the Belt and Road Initiative. It highlights the initiative’s alignment with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, its role in fostering regional integration, enhancing transport and communication networks, promoting humanitarian exchanges, and shaping new mechanisms of global governance. The study underscores the necessity of strengthening institutional foundations, harmonizing large-scale infrastructure projects with “small but beneficial” social initiatives, and advancing “hard connectivity” (infrastructure), “soft connectivity” (rules and standards), and “connectivity of hearts” (humanitarian ties) simultaneously. The findings demonstrate the BRI’s growing contribution to sustainable globalization and international cooperation.

This article discusses the philosophical and legal theories of combating corruption, the genesis of ideas on combating corruption, and the initial conceptual schemes used to determine the leading system of views and concepts, postulates and standards on tactics and strategies for their implementation.

This article analyzes the theoretical and practical aspects of the criminal-legal protection of intellectual property rights. The content of the norms related to the protection of authors’ and related rights in the Constitution and the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan is revealed. Furthermore, a comparative analysis is conducted of the differences in approaches to establishing criminal liability for infringements of intellectual property rights in national and foreign legal systems. The article emphasizes that although criminal liability measures play an important role in protecting intellectual property rights, their punitive nature alone cannot fully resolve the problem. In this regard, the necessity of forming a comprehensive protection system and effectively applying civil and administrative measures in the field of intellectual property is scientifically substantiated. The study also examines the experiences of countries such as Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Germany, Italy, and France, and presents conclusions and recommendations for improving national legislation.

The article presents a broad-based analysis of legal mechanisms for counteracting tax evasion at the international level. The study is based on an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates elements of international tax law, public law, economics, and institutional theory. It examines legal mechanisms for resolving tax disputes, ranging from arbitration under bilateral agreements and OECD multilateral instruments to the procedures of the World Trade Organization, highlighting their advantages and limitations. A separate section is devoted to the challenges of the digital economy: the limitation of tax sovereignty in developing countries due to trade agreements, the conflict between the EU and the US regarding data taxation, and the concept of digital constitutionalism as a prospective normative framework. Particular attention is paid to the role of micro-actors—tax consultants and professional intermediaries—who shape the functioning of transnational schemes and require inclusion in the system of international regulation. The dual effect of reforms is emphasized: on the one hand, strengthening institutional mechanisms to combat tax evasion, and on the other, generating new market risks and institutional collisions. The article substantiates the need to shift toward an actor-centered approach, in which the regulation of intermediaries and the development of normative principles for the digital era become prerequisites for the sustainability of the global tax regime. The material will be of interest to researchers in international law, economics, and finance, as well as to specialists engaged in the development and implementation of global tax regulation mechanisms.