Articles

Monthly Compilation of Views of VIF Expert Groups: August 2020

The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) strives to ensure relevant geo-strategic discussions by different Expert Groups covering global as well as regional issues. In that vein, the groups hosted by VIF not only focused on foreign relations bu....

September 09, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , China , Russia , South Asia , Srilanka , Germany , Task force , Regional Value Chain

Battleground Idlib: Russia and Turkey’s Interests amidst the COVID-19 crisis

Dr Yatharth Kachiar, Research Associate, VIF

The civil war in Syria similar to the continuing conflicts in Yemen and Libya has its roots in the 2011 Arab spring protests. The protracted conflict between President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces and a fragmented opposition has been diffused by Russia....

August 29, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Russia , Syria , Turkey , COVID-19 pandemic , Covid-19 Crisis , Battleground Idlib , Civil war , President Erdogan , Military Effort , Idlib Ordeal

White Mutiny or a Grey Revolution in Belarus -Only time will Tell

Amb Anil Trigunayat, Distinguished Fellow, VIF Commentary

Who wants to give up power anyway? History of the long serving leaders abdicating before the time is ripe has rare entries even if the writing on the wall was rather clear. In last decade it has happened to several North African leaders as a consequ....

August 17, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Europe , Russia , Commentary , Russia , Eurasia , Election Commission , EU , COVID-19 , Belarus , Lukashenko

Tajikistan: Another Victim of Chinese Belligerence in Central Asia

Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Research Associate , VIF Article

Introduction

Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic, China has shown increasing irredentist tendencies. From the South China Sea to its South and Central Asian neighbours, Chinese territorial encroachment has created fissures in b....

August 12, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Central Asia , Article , China , Russia , Central Asia , Kazakhstan , military base , Tajikistan , Kyrgyz Republic , Debt Trap , Pamir , Land grab , irredentism

Et Tu Caesar – Unending Plight of Syria!

Amb Anil Trigunayat, Distinguished Fellow, VIF Commentary

“Et tu Brutus” has been synonymous with perfidy. But on June 17 when the USA invoked its “Caesar Act” against Syria and its embattled President Assad, pursuant to the geo-political games, Assad would have closed the caption by accusing Caesar....

June 29, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Commentary , Russia , ISIS , Turkey , US Sanctions , refugees , Caesar Act , Hezoballah , China BRI , Assad

What is happening in Libya?

Amb K P Fabian Article

We have been coming across reports, more in the foreign media than in the Indian, of the military gains of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) headed by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj at the expense of the Tobruk-based General Khali....

June 02, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , West Asia , Article , Russia , Libya , Turkey , Oil , Tripoli , Tobruk , GNA , Haftar

COVID-19 International Developments: Daily Scan, May 29, 2020

Prerna Gandhi, Associate Fellow, VIF COVID-19 Daily Scan

Economic

IMF says pandemic may skew economic data and cause them to be less accurate

The coronavirus pandemic “has disrupted the production of many key statistics,” the International Monetary Fund said in a blog post this ....

May 29, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Russia , Coronavirus , WHO , COVID-19 , COVID-19 Daily Scan , IMF , Daily scan , Hong Kong , Food waste , Business Travel , Sustainable Investing , COP26 , Chinese students

COVID-19 International Developments: Daily Scan, May 26, 2020

Prerna Gandhi, Associate Fellow, VIF COVID-19 Daily Scan

Economic

In Coronavirus Fight, Uncertainty Emerges as the New Enemy

Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Romer notes that the coronavirus itself, of course, remains the biggest issue. “The longer it takes to fix the uncertaint....

May 26, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Russia , COVID-19 Daily Scan , Daily scan , Cyber attacks , Uncertainty , Taxes , Yen , Solidarity Surcharge , UK-China , Multiannual Financial Framework , Red Cross , Tracers , Masks

COVID-19 International Developments: Daily Scan, May 12, 2020

Prerna Gandhi, Associate Fellow, VIF COVID-19 Daily Scan

Economic

Investment between U.S. and China Falls as Tensions, Coronavirus Take Toll

Investment between the U.S. and China is off to a weak start in 2020 and could worsen, according to a report published on May 11 that tallies ....

May 12, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Russia , national security , Belt and Road Initiative , VAT , Wuhan , COVID-19 , Social distancing , COVID-19 Daily Scan , Daily scan , Supply chains , US-China investment , Phase One deal , Small Business aid , Carbon Economy

Central Asia's Labour Migration amid Coronavirus

Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Research Associate , VIF Article

1. Introduction

The term 'migrant' is often stereotyped as a person who is an undesirable burden and their economic contribution to national economies is seldom measured. The correlation between migration and remittances can be understood....

May 12, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Central Asia , Article , Russia , Kyrgyzstan , Central Asia , Uzbekistan , poverty , Unemployment , Tajikistan , Coronavirus , COVID-19 , Pandemic , Remittances , Migration , Labour , EEU