Neighbourhood Studies
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India Nepal Economic Dialogue: Unleashing Potentials

In the ongoing VIF series on India and Its Neighbours, an interaction programme was organised on “India-Nepal Economic Dialogue: Unleashing Potentials” on 9 September 2021 in association with the Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies (AIDIA), Kathmandu. The session was chaired by Dr. Sreeradha Datta and Welcome Address was delivered by Dr Arvind Gupta, Director, Vivekananda International Foundation. The eminent speakers in the session included Mr. Sunil KC, Director, AIDIA; Amb Ranjit Rae, Former Ambassador of India to Nepal; H.E.

Talk on "India and Maldives Bilateral Relations"

On 06 September 2021, the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organised a talk on “India-Maldives-bilateral Relations”. India-Maldives relations had made progress in the last couple of years. These relations are backed by positive activity, for example, the Great Male Connectivity Project (GMCP). The discussion overall highlighted a few of the security challenges in the Maldives, such as the presence of Islamic radicalisation, China’s inroads in the country and others. The discussion was held under the Chatham House Rules.

BIMSTEC: The Journey and The Way Ahead

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a sub-regional organisation straddling five member states from South Asia and two from Southeast Asia. In the larger context of the global developments in the Bay of Bengal and the Indo-Pacific, BIMSTEC has taken on a more distinct salience and collaborative endeavours would prove beneficial for all the member-states.

Irrawaddy Imperatives: Reviewing India’s Myanmar Strategy

Myanmar, the Golden Land, has for ages been the last frontier, steeped in mysticism and mystery. However, knowledge about Myanmar remains woefully inadequate in most spheres including Indian academia, media and in some cases, even foreign policy. The irony is such that premier educational establishments in India provide exotic courses on countries with which India has no borders and are thousands of kilometres away, but do not offer Myanmar studies or language courses, despite India sharing a 1643 km border with Myanmar.

India’s Engagement with Nepal and Bhutan: What can India do More?

Amidst rising tensions along India’s northern border, does India’s engagement with Nepal and Bhutan meet its strategic requirements, and what else can India do more? To discuss these questions, a webinar was organised on “India’s Engagement with Nepal and Bhutan: What can India do more?” on 03 August 2021. Dr Arvind Gupta, Director, Vivekananda International Foundation, welcomed speakers- Amb. Ranjeet Rae, Amb. Manjeev Puri, Amb P Haran, Prof. Rajesh S Khara and Dr Smruti Patnaik. The session was moderated by Dr Sreeradha Datta. Nepal

VIF Virtual Talk by H.E. Rahmatullah Nabil, former head of Afghanistan’s NDS

The complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan before September 11 is turning out to be a complicated affair. Taliban is gaining a strong foothold in Afghanistan. It has not shown any seriousness in negotiations over intra-Afghan dialogue and has formulated a strategy to gain control of Kabul. Hence many questions arise about the future of Afghanistan and its people. In order to understand the current evolving situation in Afghanistan, Vivekananda International Foundation organized a virtual talk on “Situation in Afghanistan” by H.E. Mr.

Penpa Tsering, the New President of the Central Tibetan Administration, Calls on China to Grant ‘Genuine Autonomy’ to Tibet

Penpa Tsering has been elected as the new Sikyong or President of 17th Tibetan government-in-exile (TGiE), formally known as the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). This write-up explores the life and policy stance of the newly elected Sikyong, his future course of actions/concerns regarding the resolution of the Sino-Tibetan conflict and his aspirations for the diaspora of the Tibetan community. The article also looks briefly into the structure of CTA, Tibetan Parliament in Exile (TPiE) and the general elections conducted by TGiE.

Politics of Geo-politics: Continuity and Change in India-Nepal Relations; Edited by Lok Raj Baral (2018); 256p; price: 799 ISBN-10: 81-8363-138-9; Publisher Adarsh Books, New Delhi

The edited volume includes multiple perspectives of former diplomats and academicians from India and Nepal. It theorises India-Nepal relations, focussing broadly on economic, security and geopolitical relations. The book was published in 2018, and written with a perspective to highlight the importance of India-Nepal relations in the changing times.

Omar Sadr, Negotiating Cultural Diversity in Afghanistan. Oxon: Routledge, 2020, xiii+242 pp., INR 995, ISBN: 978-1138371057

‘Negotiating Cultural Diversity in Afghanistan’ by Omar Sadr is an account of Afghanistan's multicultural society. The book discusses the challenges that the government faces in ensuring national integration under cultural diversity. The book covers twenty-two years of modern Afghanistan history, beginning from 1992 to the era of civil war i.e. from 1992-2014, which replaced the centralisation of power, with a collapse of the state the political turmoil and demands for ethnic and cultural rights challenging the government (p. 3).

The Pathfinder - VIF Webinar on Connectivity between India and Sri Lanka

On 07 April 2021, Pathfinder Foundation ([PF) and Vivekananda International Foundation organised a webinar on ‘Connectivity between India and Sri Lanka’. Dr Arvind Gupta, Director VIF, welcomed the participants and delivered the opening remarks. The webinar included brief presentations by Professor Rohan Samarajiva, Mr Bipul Chaterjee, Mr Sanjay Chadha, and Dr Ravi Rathnayake, followed by remarks from Mr Abdul Azeez, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka. The webinar is part of a series of webinars to understand the prospects of connectivity between India and Sri Lanka.

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