VIF Papers
South Asian Response to Ukraine Crisis: Political, Economic and Humanitarian Implications

The Russian “special military operation” launched against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, has impacted countries worldwide. While the global powers are busy in either extending support or condemning Russia in their respective ways, the fundamental issues arise from the political and economic impact of the crisis on the world economy. So far, the most visible impact of the Ukraine crisis globally has been the price rise in petroleum products. Also, the global sanctions on Russia have further interrupted the supply chain of goods from one region to another.

Great Game Revisited: China's Grand Eurasian Strategy through the Prism of 'One Belt One Road'

… despite multiple flaws, China's expanding participation in Central Asia is a long-term phenomenon and a watershed moment in the post-Soviet history and economic development of these countries… China is the only country capable of mobilising massive investment in the region … under the OBOR, China will continue to be the most important investor in Central Asia …

Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh: A Visionary Ignored by History

....he established the ‘Provisional Government of India’ (Hakumat-e-Mokhtari-i-Hind) in Bagh-e-Babur in Kabul on December 1, 1915 … Pratap became the President for Life or until the Government was handed over to Congress … Maulana Barkatullah Khan as the Prime Minister and Obeidullah Sindhi as the Home Minister, Champak Raman Pillai as the Foreign Minister and Maulana Bashir as the War Minister …

Swami Vivekananda and Sister Nivedita: Pioneers of Indian Scientific Research

…. These personalities were intellectual giants in their respective fields … they were willing to accommodate each others, views for the larger goal of India's scientific development … more than 100 years back, foresight of these greats remains awe-inspiring … their vision in creating an atmosphere of scientific learning and research are astounding ….

Russia Ukraine Conundrum

… Biden said that President Vladimir Putin “has never seen sanctions like the ones I promised will be imposed if he moves”... “If they actually do what they’re capable of doing with the forces amassed on the border, it is going to be a disaster for Russia if they further invade Ukraine, and that our allies and partners are ready to impose severe costs and significant harm on Russia and the Russian economy…” as of end February 2022, all these conjectures had been thrown in the wind. The invasion is underway. Times are extremely critical and the attention of the whole world will be on Ukraine …

Emergence of China as a Military Space Power and Ramifications for India’s Security

China’s space programme can be described as a mystery within a maze. The visible elements of the programme include space launch vehicles, launch sites and satellite systems. However, various components of its organisational structure and architecture are shrouded in obscurity. Since the birth of China’s space programme in 1956, its development has mirrored the progress of the nation as a whole.

How has the Growing Rift in Oceania enabled China’s Rise in the Region?

This paper seeks to investigate the factors that allowed China to emerge as a major player in the Oceania. The paper argues that the traditional powers in the region, the ANZUS, have viewed the region predominantly through the geostrategic lens and in the process, have ignored the core concerns of the Pacific States and instead securitized the region driven by their narrow strategic goals, creating a vacuum and a readymade ground for China to step up and assume a gradually increasing influential role in the region with relative ease and without any credible resistance.

People’s Liberation Army Navy - An Overview of Maritime Strategic Thought, Naval Capabilities, Implications of Military Reforms & Naval Operations and Exercises

This paper aims to provide an overview of the Chinese maritime strategic thought and naval capabilities that could have a bearing on India’s strategic and security environment, particularly in the Indian Ocean. It provides a broad picture of major reforms in PLA during the Xi Jinping era that commenced in 2014 and the drivers and objectives behind these reforms.

Implications of China’s Hydro-Hegemony on River Yarlung Tsangpo: Another Lever of China’s Expansionist Tactics into India’s East

On 11 March 2021, China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress, endorsed a plan to build a ‘super dam’ on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River in southeastern Tibet. According to Chinese media reports, the dam will have an installed capacity of around 60 Gigawatt (GW), the world’s largest, and will be built at The Great Bend section of the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Nyingchi Prefecture’s Medog County close to the Indian border.

Deterrence Theory– Is it Applicable in Cyber Domain?

… effective cyber deterrence policies require regular, sustained disruption of malicious cyber activity. Such disruption can be technical, legal, logistical, financial, diplomatic, and, in some extreme cases, kinetic. Increasing the scope, scale and tempo of disruption activities should impose high costs on adversaries …

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