Articles | Vivekananda International Foundation

Recent Maritime Incidents in the South China Sea

The last few weeks witnessed two maritime incidents in the South China Sea. The first involved the Philippines and China, and the second between Vietnam and China. The incidents have once again drawn attention to the complication arising out of disp....

July 31, 2019 International Relations and Diplomacy , Indo-Pacific , Article , South China Sea incidents , Chinese maritime assertiveness , China-Vietnam-Philippines stand-off

India-China Relations in the Second Term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi

The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) held a round table discussion on the India-China Relations in the Second Term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Leading strategist and policymakers participated in the discussions. Dr Arvind Gupta, Direct....

July 30, 2019 International Relations and Diplomacy , China , Interaction , BRI , ndia-China Relations , India–China Trade , Chinese investment

Linking the Events from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Strait of Hormuz

Hirak Jyoti Das, Senior Research Associate, VIF Article

On 4 July 2019, the United Kingdom’s Royal Marines seized an Iranian oil tanker, Grace I in the Strait of Gibraltar on the charges that Iran was breaching the European Union’s (EU) sanctions by supplying 2 million barrel of oil to a Syrian govern....

July 30, 2019 International Relations and Diplomacy , Article , shipping in Strait of Hormuz , Oil tanker movement in Gulf , UK-Iran ship seizing

Brainstorming Session on ‘India and West Asia – a New Paradigm Shift and Policy Options’

The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organised a Brainstorming Session on ‘India and West Asia – a New Paradigm Shift and Policy Options’. The deliberations broadly focussed on assessing the present situation in the West Asian Region ....

July 30, 2019 International Relations and Diplomacy , West Asia , Interaction , Israel , Chabahar Port , Syria , Indian Diaspora , Gulf region

2019 Hong Kong Protests: A Series of Contending Perspectives

Saumya Joshi Article

Introduction

The 2019 Hong Kong (HK)’ protests were one of the biggest street protests in the last three decades. The protests were against the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) ....

July 30, 2019 International Relations and Diplomacy , China , Article , Hong Kong protests , Hong Kong’s democracy , Hong Kong extradition bill

Recurring Clashes on Tajik-Kyrgyz Border over Raising of National Flags

Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF Commentary

On 22 July 2019, the border authorities of Tajikistan informed that a skirmish took place on the border with Kyrgyzstan which resulted in killing of one local resident and several others wounded. According to the Tajik media, this violent conflict is....

July 29, 2019 International Relations and Diplomacy , Central Asia , Commentary , Tajik-Kyrgyz spat , Border tension in Fergana Valley , border disputes in Central Asia

No Change in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Assertive Policies Despite Pressure

Jayadeva Ranade Commentary

Since more than the past 18 months Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have been under increasing pressure because of the US-China Tariff war. Washington has also been trying to create an adverse international environme....

July 29, 2019 International Relations and Diplomacy , China , Commentary , China’s assertive policies , China’s aggressive posturing

Crisis in the Inflammable Gulf

Amb K P Fabian Commentary

We are witnessing a rapidly aggravating crisis that can result in the outbreak of hostilities with consequences, unintended, uncontrollable and possibly frightful for the region and the rest of the world. We have not seen any serious effort on the p....

July 25, 2019 International Relations and Diplomacy , Central Asia , Commentary , US-Iran-UK confrontation , shipping in Strait of Hormuz , Gulf crisis

US Sanctions, Hormuz Strait and Security in the Gulf

Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF Commentary

The seizure of Stena Impero by Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on 19th July in the Hormuz Strait follows arrest of Grace 1 off Gibraltar by Royal Marines earlier. This represents an escalation. Incidents of attacks on tankers on 12th May an....

July 22, 2019 International Relations and Diplomacy , West Asia , Commentary , US-Iran spat , shipping in Persian Gulf , oil tanker seizure

Chabahar Port - A Rethink is Needed

Rajesh Soami Commentary

Russian, Chinese, American and Pakistani representatives met in Beijing on the 10th and 11th of July to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. This was the third such consultation between Russia, China and the US, and the first in which Pakistan parti....

July 19, 2019 International Relations and Diplomacy , Central Asia , Commentary , Chabahar Port , US Sanctions , Iran’s changed priorities