Articles

Annual Review of Islamic State and Al Qaeda: What is on the Horizon in 2021?

Soumya Awasthi, Associate Fellow, VIF Article

Background

The past year began with a pathological threat for the world which was detrimental not only for public health, politics, and economics but also for global security. The keywords for the year 2020 were COVID-19, geopolitical rea....

January 21, 2021 Terrorism , International Relations and Diplomacy , Article , West Africa , Iran , Islamic State , ISIS , IS , Al Qaeda

International Security: Review of 2020 & Projections for 2021

Anurag Sharma, Research Associate, VIF Article

The year 2020 shall be recorded as an unprecedented year in the modern history of humankind. The outbreak of China-origin Coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) has eclipsed the events in global security. On one side, the spread of coronavirus enforced....

January 18, 2021 Terrorism , National Security and Strategic Studies , Cyber Security , Article , India , Pakistan , Iran , Afghanistan , Islamic State , United States , al-Qaeda , International Security , Counter terrrosim , Review

West Asia Review - November 2020

Amb Anil Trigunayat, Distinguished Fellow, VIF Article

ABSTRACT:

Even though sunset on Trump Presidency has begun the Middle East continued to engage his attention. His Secretary of State Pompeo visited the region especially Turkey, UAE, Saudi Arabia , Qatar and Israel to follow throu....

December 07, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , West Asia , Article , Israel , Iran , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , al-Qaeda , G20 summit , UAE , Bahrain , Trump Presidency , NEOM , Palestinians , Belgium

The Frozen Conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh Flares up again

Amb Anil Trigunayat, Distinguished Fellow, VIF Article

Nagorno Karabakh is one of the frozen conflicts in Eurasia for over a quarter century. However, on September 27 the two contenders and neighbours Azerbaijan and Armenia fired up the conflict yet again resulting in hundreds of casualties and attacks o....

October 23, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Russia , Article , India , Pakistan , Russia , Iran , Putin , Turkey , Oil , Azerbaijan , Erdogan , Armenia , CSTO , OSCE Minsk group

VIF Webinar on “International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)”

India’s trade with Central Asia is much below its true potential, and the factor behind is the lack of direct connectivity. The Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) remain crucial in this regard. Vivekananda In....

October 12, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Seminars , China , Russia , INSTC , Central Asia , Iran , Europe , BRI , North-South Transport Corridor

Iran: US Sanctions and Regional and International Perspectives

The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) on 29 September 2020 organised a virtual discussion on the topic titled, “Iran: US Sanctions and Regional and International Perspectives”. Amb. D P Srivastava was the key speaker in the discussion. D....

October 07, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , West Asia , Interaction , Israel , Iran , JCPOA , Gulf region , US Sanctions , Article 14 , UN , Qassem Soleimani , UNSCR

West Asia Round Up: August 2020

Amb Anil Trigunayat, Distinguished Fellow, VIF Article

ABSTRACT:

August witnessed monumental events in the region. US sponsored rapprochement between UAE and Israel; Pompeo’s visit to Khartoum; Beirut blasts; attempts to ceasefire in Libya; Iraqi PM’s visits to Iran and USA; Defeat....

September 02, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , West Asia , Article , Israel , US , Iran , UNSC , Putin , Libya , Turkey , UAE , Saudi Foreign Minister , virtual summit

West Asia Round Up: July 2020

Hirak Jyoti Das, Research Associate, VIF Article

ABSTRACT:

China-Iran deal announced earlier this month continued to reverberate through the continent and elsewhere that has been dictated by the enhanced US-China and US-Iran rivalry. The proposed 25 years Agreement , which has b....

August 07, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , West Asia , Article , Iran , Egypt , Yemen , Turkey–Egypt , Iraq-Iran , Turkey and Russia , Israel-Hezbollah , Iran-Iraq , China-Iran

Now the Blasts in Beirut

Amb Anil Trigunayat, Distinguished Fellow, VIF Commentary

On 04 August twin blasts rocked the Beirut skyline shattering the buildings and property around. The sound of the blasts was heard in Cyprus some 200 Kms away. According to the Lebanese authorities 78 people were killed and over 4000 injured and the ....

August 06, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Commentary , Israel , Iran , Lebanon , Beirut , Hezbollah , INDBATT , UNIFIL

Developments in West Asia

The Vivekananda International Foundation organised a virtual interactive session on the subject, “Developments in West Asia” on 13 July 2020. Dr Arvind Gupta, Director, VIF delivered his opening remarks and introduced the central topics, i.e. Geo....

July 18, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , West Asia , Interaction , China , Indo-Pacific , Iran , COVID-19 , West Asian region , Gulf