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Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
Samir Bhattacharya is Senior Research Associate at Vivekananda International Foundation, where he works on geopolitics with particular reference to Africa in changing global order. He has a Master's in Economics from the University of Auvergne, France, and he is currently pursuing his doctoral study at Jawaharlal Nehru University. His doctoral study focuses on conflicts in Africa, particularly in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. Previously, he has worked with organizations such as the French Embassy in New Delhi, Saciwaters (Research Organisation) and CUTS International (NGO).

Samir Bhattacharya is Senior Research Associate at Vivekananda International Foundation, where he works on geopolitics with particular reference to Africa in changing global order. He has a Master's in Economics from the University of Auvergne, France, and he is currently pursuing his doctoral study at Jawaharlal Nehru University. His doctoral study focuses on conflicts in Africa, particularly in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. Previously, he has worked with organizations such as the French Embassy in New Delhi, Saciwaters (Research Organisation) and CUTS International (NGO).

Contributions 
The Indian Tricolour Shines again through Operation Kaveri
May 11, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
Fighting broke out in Khartoum and other areas of Sudan early on 15th April, engulfing the capital in turmoil and raising the possibility of a full-scale civil war. Tensions had been rising between General Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedt...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Africa, Article, Sudan, Evacuation, refugee crisis, Civil war, coup, Dagalo, Burhan, Hemedti, Operation Kaveri, Sudan Conflict
Sudan is Heading towards an all-out Civil War
April 21, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
In the early hours of 15th April, fighting broke out in Khartoum and other parts of Sudan, engulfing the capital in conflict and escalating the risk of an all-out civil war. The reason behind this violence is an apparent power struggle between Genera...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Africa, Article, Russia, Africa, Sudan, Civil war, coup, Military Takeover, RSF, Dagalo, Burhan, Hemedti, Khartoum, Bashir, SAF, Sudan War, gold, Suakin
Bola Ahmed Tinubu has Renewed Nigerian Hopes: Can he Awaken the Sleeping Giant?
April 12, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
As outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari decided to step down after serving the maximum two terms permitted by the constitution, Nigeria held its seventh democratic Presidential electionon 25th February....

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Africa, Article, China, democracy, Indian Diaspora, Boko Haram, Nigeria, Naira, India Nigeria Relations, Nigerian Presidential Election, Tinubu, INEC, Japa Syndrome
India's G20 Presidency Presents an Opportunity to Foster India-Africa Collaboration on Traditional Medicines
March 28, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
After the G20 Summit in Bali, India took over the G20 presidency for one year, from December 1, 2022, to November 30, 2023.[1] Indeed, this presidency is an opportunity for India...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Africa, Article, G20, COVID-19, Pandemic, Ayurveda, Healthcare, AYUSH, India Africa Collaboration, Traditional Medicine, Alternative Medicine
The “One District One Product” Experiment
March 15, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
The state government of Uttar Pradesh is working diligently to grow the state's economy to $1 trillion and boost its share of India's GDP from the current 8% to 15–16%. The "One District One Product (ODOP)" programme was one crucial programme that ...

Tags: Economic Studies, economy, Japan, Uttar Pradesh, India Positive, regional development, ODOP
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VIF Papers 
Western Sahara - The North African Gordian Knot
March 27, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
… Western Saharan conflict is one of the world's most underlooked conflicts .. it is crucial to indigenous Sahrawis and their kin in southern Morocco, northern Mauritania and western Algeria .. UN has so far failed in providing the groundwork for s...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Africa, Western Saharan, Morocco-Algeria dispute, Polisario-SADR, Conflict in Western Sahara, Africa politics, North African, Gordian Knot
Book Published / Book Reviews 
"The Harambee Factor: India - Africa Economic and Development Partnership” by Ambassador Gurjit Singh, Macmillan Education India Pvt. Ltd., Pp 500 2022, INR 2,802. ISBN: 978-93-5455-069-0
June 02, 2022 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
A wealth of literature illustrates China's relationship with Africa in all of its facets. In comparison, there isn't nearly enough research on India's engagement in Africa in its entirety. In that sense, there is hardly any literature that deals spec...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Africa, Book Reviews, India-Africa, development partnership, Lines of Credit
"India–Africa Relations: Changing Horizons" by Rajiv Bhatia, Routledge India, Pp 244, 15 November 2021, INR 995. ISBN 9781032268989
March 31, 2022 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
Former High Commissioner to Kenya, South Africa and Lesotho, Ambassador Rajiv Kumar Bhatia, is a Distinguished Fellow of the Foreign Policy Studies Programme at Gateway House. In his new book titled "India-Africa Relations: Changing Horizons",...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Africa, Book Reviews, Gandhi, India-Africa Relations, Non-Alignment Movement
Harnessing the Trade Winds: The Story of the Centuries-Old Indian Trade with East Africa, Using the Monsoon Winds by Blanche Rocha D’Souza, (First published in Kenya in 2008 by Zand Graphics Ltd, Reprinted in India 2021 by Pentagon Press LLP.) Pp. 204. IN
November 15, 2021 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
Long before the Christian era, Indians had the knowledge of monsoon winds. And Indians started sailing, not only before the European explorers of 14th centuries and around, but Indians sailed even before Hippalus, the Greek mariner, famous for discov...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Africa, Indian Diaspora, Indian Ocean, Book Reviews, Gandhi, Eastern Africa, History, Indian Traders, Indian Marchants, Monsoon wind, Maritime trade, Scramble for Africa, Ugandan railway, Historiography
Event Reports 
India-Africa Roundtable on Science and Technology
May 09, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
On 15th March 2023, as part of the "Connect Africa" initiative, VIF organised 1st "India-Africa Roundtable (IAR)"on Science and Technology with a focus on collaboration in the field of Science & Technology, particularly in the domain of Trade, Clim...

Tags: Conference, International Relations and Diplomacy, Africa, Interaction, Connect Africa, Climate Change, Food Security, African Union
VIF Hosts the High Commissioner of South Africa and Ambassador of Sudan under its Connect Africa Programme
March 06, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
The High Commissioner of South Africa, His Excellency Mr. JS Ndebele, and the Ambassador of Sudan, His Excellency Mr Abdalla Omer Bashir Elhusain, gave presentations on the status of India's relations with their respective nations and their prospects...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Africa, Interaction, Indian Ocean, Cold War, South Africa, USSR, Connect Africa, Periplus, Erythraean Sea
Interaction with Puneet Roy Kundal, Joint Secretary, MEA
February 27, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
Shri Puneet Roy Kundal, Joint Secretary, MEA, former Ambassador of India in Tunisia and Consul General of India in Cape Town, highlighted Africa's strategic importance for India in his remarks. He mentions that MEA considers the relationship with Afr...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Africa, Interaction, West Africa, ITEC, Africa historical, capacity-building programmes
VIF-NIIA webinar on India-Nigeria relations under the “Connect Africa” Programme
December 19, 2022 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
On 27th October, 2022, Vivekananda International Foundation organized a webinar on India-Nigeria relations with Nigerian Institute of International Studies (NIIA), a premium think tank based in Nigeria. This was the second event under “Connect Afri...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Africa, Seminars, Terrorism, India-Africa, Nigerian
Interaction with Shri Dammu Ravi, Secretary, Economic Relations, Ministry of External Affairs
December 19, 2022 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
On 28th November 2022, VIF organised its 2nd Africa Expert Group meeting. Shri Dammu Ravi, Secretary Economic Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, was the key speaker at the meeting. During the meeting, Mr Ravi gave a brief overview of the contou...

Tags: Economic Studies, Interaction, Africa, Economic
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Outreach 
Operation Kaveri in Sudan reflects India’s unwavering commitment towards its citizens
May 22, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
Published in The Daily Guardian on 22th May 2023....

Operation Kaveri: India’s call of duty to protect its citizens in peril
May 21, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
Published in Modern Ghana on 21st May 2023....

Making sense of crisis in Sudan
May 21, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
Published in Sunday column of Ghana Web on 21 May 2023...

Democracy at a Crossroads: The Quest for Hope in Sudan
May 14, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
Published in Modern Ghana on 14 May 2023...

Deconstructing the Sudan conflict
May 11, 2023 Samir Bhattacharya, Senior Research Associate, VIF
Published in Hindustan Times on 11th May 2023....

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