Vivekananda International Foundation | Seeking Harmony in Diversity

Monthly Compilation of Views of VIF Expert Groups: June 2022

In the month of June 2022 Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organized two expert group, one think tank and one eminent person interaction with most of them being hybrid. The restricted interactions of the other expert groups were due to scheduling commitments of experts. The keenly awaited Quad Plus group meeting was held in the month along with West Asia group. In addition, after a long hiatus, a roundtable with the Chinese think tank on environmental issues was organised.

July 21, 2022 VIF Report

VIF-RIAC Roundtable | Strategic and Economic Implications of the Ukraine Crisis

The VIF in collaboration with the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) convened a virtual roundtable discussion on the Strategic and Economic Implications of the Ukraine Crisis on 6 July 2022. The opening remarks were delivered by Dr Arvind Gupta, Director, VIF and Mr Andrey Kortunov, Director General, RIAC. Key remarks focusing on the strategic and economic dimensions of the conflict were delivered by Amb. D.B. Venkatesh Varma and Mr. Sergey Afontsev, respectively. Other eminent experts and dignitaries that participated in the discussion included Amb. P.S Raghavan, Mr.

July 15, 2022 Event Report

Talk on ‘Asia as Method: Towards Deimperialisation and its Afterlife’

The Vivekananda International Foundation organised a talk titled ‘Asia as Method: Towards Deimperialisation and its Afterlife’ by Professor Chen Kuan-Hsing on 20 June 2022. Prof. Chen is an academic from Taiwan, who specialises in inter-Asian cultural studies. He is one of the editors of the Inter-Asia Cultural Studies journal. He is the author of many academic works, including the book titled ‘Asia as Method: Toward Deimperialization’ (Duke University Press, 2010).

July 14, 2022 Event Report

A brief for the Web page on the roundtable discussion on "Geostrategic & Economic Fall Out of Ukraine Conflict"

Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organised a Brainstorming Session on "Geostrategic & Economic Fall Out of Ukraine Conflict" at the VIF on 11 July 2022. The welcome remarks were given by Dr. Arvind Gupta, Director VIF and the participants were Gen. N.C.Vij (retd) Amb. PS Raghavan, Amb. Anil Wadhwa, Prof. Gulshan Sachdeva, Lt Gen Rakesh Sharma (retd), Air Marshal Kumaria (retd), Amb. Ashok K Kantha, V Adm Girish Luthra (retd), Amb Pankaj Saran, Prof Sujit Dutta, Gen. Ravi Sawhney, Lt. Gen. Gautam Banerjee (retd), Brig Anand (retd), Amb Ashok Sajjanhar and Gp Capt Naval Jagota.

July 12, 2022 Event Report

Vimarsh on China Challenge in the Wake of the Ukraine Crisis

On 21 June 2022, the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organised a Vimarsh on the “China Challenge in the Wake of the Ukraine Crisis”. Dr Arvind Gupta, Director VIF, gave out introductory remarks and welcomed the speaker Amb Ashok K Kantha, IFS (Retd), Director, Institute of Chinese Studies, Former Ambassador to China, who focussed on China Challenge from an Indian Perspective and India- China bilateral relations.

July 08, 2022 Event Report

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 …

July 05, 2022 Paper

Monthly Compilation of Views of VIF Expert Groups: May 2022

Naval Jagota

In the month of May 2022 Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organized five expert group interactions and one think tank interaction with most of them being hybrid. The dominant theme in most of the interactions was the Ukraine-Russia conflict and its implications on various parts of the world. The other expert groups covered the relevant topics i.e. Pakistan’s political scene, the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Europe and US in West Asia with their ramifications. This edition contains views USA, Europe, Pakistan, China, Taiwan, Indo-Pacific and West Asia and their impact on India.

July 04, 2022 VIF Report

Interaction with HE Mr. Ali Chegeni, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to India on “Indo-Iranian Relations and A perspective on Regional Security and Connectivity”

Following the official visit of Dr. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran to New Delhi on June 8-9, 2022, Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) hosted an interaction (in hybrid format) with HE Mr. Ali Chegeni, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to India on June 22, 2022. The Participants who were physically present for the discussions included Amb. Ashok Sajjanhar, Amb Skand Tayal, Lt. Gen Ravi Sawhney, Amb Anil Trigunayat, Prof Sujit Dutta, Brig Vinod Anand, Gp. Capt. Naval Jagota and Cdr Shashank Sharma. Amb D. P.

June 24, 2022 Event Report

Ukraine Conflict: A UK perspective

VIF organized a closed door round table discussion on a “Review of Russia-Ukraine Conflict”: A UK Perspective on 06 June 2022 in the physical mode at the VIF with members of the strategic community and Brigadier Nick Sawyer, Defence Advisor, British High Commission (India). The discussions were broad based and views on the way forward were discussed.

June 20, 2022 Event Report

The Spectre of Afghanistan: Security in Central Asia by Kirill Nourzhanov and Amin Saikal; London, I.B.TAURIS Bloomsbury Publishing Plc., 2021, pp. 249.

Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are three Central Asian countries that share geographical boundaries and cross-border ethnic linkages with Afghanistan. As a result, the developments in Afghanistan have directly impacted these countries. Although the majority of the population in Central Asia is Muslim, they have quite varied religious perspectives due to the long shadow cast by the Soviet Union’s communist regime. On the other hand, the Taliban administration in Kabul in the 1990s intended to establish an Islamic caliphate, which was unacceptable to its Central Asian neighbours.

June 20, 2022 Books/Book Review