A trilateral conference on Afghanistan’s future between scholars from Royal United Services Institution, VIF experts and researchers from various Chinese think tanks was organized in London from 04 to 06 December 2013.
A VIF delegation led by Gen (Retd) N C Vij, former Chief of Army Staff and Dean, Centre for Defence Studies, VIF; Lt. Gen. (Retd) R. K. Sawhney, former Deputy Chief of Army Staff and Distinguished Fellow, VIF and C D Sahay former Secretary, R&AW and Distinguished Fellow, VIF visited Israel from August 27-30, 2013 at the invitation of Galilee International Management Institute (GIMI) to participate in a security seminar.
Reports indicate that with the change of government in Pakistan and the exchange of visits by special envoys, the Government of India is prepared to resume the composite/comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan, interrupted since January this year as a sequel to the beheading of Indian soldiers by the Pakistani army on the LOC in J&K.
Vivekananda International Foundation released a Study on “Framework for Indo-Japanese Strategic Partnership and Cooperation”, jointly conducted with the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals (JINF) on 4<sup>th</sup> June 2013 at the VIF premises.
On 02 May 2013, VIF hosted an interaction session with a delegation from Taiwan. Indo-Taiwan relations, Taiwan-China relations, Indo-China relations, and the US policy of rebalancing in Asia were some of the agendas for discussion.
A meeting to discuss the implications of the Chinese intrusion in Ladakh was held at the VIF on 26 April 2013. Gen NC Vij, former COAS briefed a select group of former diplomats and Army officers on the issue. Among those present included Mr Ajit Doval, KC, Director VIF, Ambassador Kanwal Sibal, Ambassador Rajiv Sikri, Lt Gen RK Sawhney (Retd), Brig Vinod Anand (Retd) and Brig Gurmeet Kanwal (Retd).
A seminar was organized jointly by Vivekananda International Foundation and Patriots’ Forum in the VIF Conference Hall at New Delhi, on 20<sup>th</sup> April 2013, on the subject ‘ Refugees In Their Own Homeland :Travails Of Kashmiri Pandits ‘.
On 29 March 2013, VIF welcomed Ambassador Alon Ushpiz, Israeli Ambassador to India, and the delegation from Galilee International Management Institute (GIMI), Israel for an interaction on Indo-Israeli cooperation. The session was chaired by Ambassador P. P. Shukla, Joint Director VIF, who introduced Amb Ushpiz, welcomed Lt. Gen (retd) JFR Jacob, one of the Indian War Heroes, and pitched the agenda for discussion.
On 18<sup>th</sup> March 2013, VIF team led by Ambassador P.P. Shukla interacted with members of Goodwill Delegation from the China Association of International Friendly Contacts (CAIFC).
A VIF delegation led by Mr. Ajit Doval and comprising of Gen. (Retd.) NC Vij, Amb. PP Shukla, Lt. Gen. Ravi Sawhney and Brig (Retd.) Vinod Anand visited China Institute for International Strategic Studies at Beijing on 15<sup>th</sup> March 2013 and interacted with their faculty. The topics discussed were Sino-Indian relations and the emerging scenario in Afghanistan.