Vivekananda International Foundation | Seeking Harmony in Diversity

Peshawar Bombing likely to Heighten Stress in Pakistan-Taliban Relations

Taliban’s triumph in Afghanistan in August 2021 was seen as a strategic victory for Pakistan. But the initial euphoria considerably withered away in the course of the following months, by the general drift in the Pakistan-Taliban relations. Two fac

February 06, 2023 Neighbourhood Studies, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Article, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Durand Line, TTP, Afghan Taliban, Peshawar bombing, terrorist attack

One year after the Taliban Takeover- Afghanistan in Crisis

Aakriti Vinayak

"There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen"-Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. The recent developments in Afghanistan compel to acknowledge this off quoted statement. Juxtaposing the main military dictum of "keeping one

October 08, 2022 Neighbourhood Studies, Afghanistan, Commentary, governance, Taliban, Economic crisis, Human Rights, women rights, one year, Afghanistan in Crisis, Taliban Takeover

Afghanistan- One year after Taliban Takeover

Amb Gautam Mukhopadhaya

Two decades of progress in Afghanistan and the process of nation-building came to an abrupt end with the fall of the Afghan government and the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban on August 15, 2021. A year after the situation in Afghanistan is unparalle

September 22, 2022 Neighbourhood Studies, Afghanistan, Taliban, Economic crisis, Human Rights, Podcast

“Victory Day” Parade: One year of a Pyrrhic Victory for the Taliban

Soumya Awasthi

The impact of the Taliban’s one-year rule in Afghanistan differs across regions and countries. The impression on South Asia was more distinct than on any other region. In South Asia, Pakistan and Afghanistan bore the burden of the Taliban’s takeo

August 18, 2022 Neighbourhood Studies, Afghanistan, Article, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kabul, Terrorism, South Asia, Southeast Asia, ISI, ISKP, Haqqani network, TTP, Uzbek, Victory Parade, One Year of Taliban, Taliban 2.0, Akhundzada, Baradar, Kandahar, Quetta Shura, Tajik, Zabiullah

Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan Versus Pakistan Government

Soumya Awasthi

About 57 members of jirga comprising of some very prominent officials like former ISI chief and current Peshawar Corps Commander Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, Federal Minister Sajid Hussain Toria, Mohammad Ali Seif, Senior State Counselor Shaukatullah Khan, fo

June 11, 2022 Neighbourhood Studies, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Article, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Terrorism, Ceasefire, TTP, Afghan Taliban, Tehreek-i- Taliban Pakistan, Sharia, Air Srikes, Negotaitions

The Presence of Islamic State-Khurasan Province in Taliban-Controlled Afghanistan

Anurag Sharma, Associate Fellow, VIF

नाततायिवधे दोषो हन्तुर्भवति कश्चन । प्रकाशं वाप्रकाशं वा मन्युस्तं मन्युमृच्छति ॥

May 26, 2022 Neighbourhood Studies, Afghanistan, Article, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Islamic State, Terrorism, J&K, Iraq, ISIS, Syria, Taliban, ISKP, Al Qaida, Kerala

Uncertain Future of Women Rights in Afghanistan

Aakriti Vinayak

The world is in a state of flux. Ukraine crisis is triggering cascading risks globally. However, while the world attention is diverted to the Ukraine conflict, the crisis in Afghanistan remains sidelined. The country faces confluence of multiple cri

May 16, 2022 Neighbourhood Studies, Afghanistan, Commentary, Afghanistan, Taliban, Neighbourhood studies, women rights, Education, Afghan women

What does Taliban Governance mean for the region?

Michael Kugelman

Since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan nearly nine months ago, the group’s governance has been marked by human rights violations, harsh restrictions on women, and the dominance of radical ideas. In this latest episode of the VIF podcast, we addr

May 04, 2022 Neighbourhood Studies, Afghanistan, Pakistan, foreign policy, Afghanistan, Taliban, minorities, Human Rights, Podcast, Shahbaz Sharif

Storm after a Lull: Kabul Attack

Soumya Awasthi

Since the suicide bombing at the Kabul Airport on August 26, 2021, there was a period of lull. While, the Taliban has been shrewdly backing out from its promises which it made after taking over, but that’s about it. There were no major attacks and

April 22, 2022 Neighbourhood Studies, Afghanistan, Commentary, Islamic State, Ethnic Cleansing, Kabul Attack, Hazara Genocide, Dasht E Barchi, Khorasan and Taliban

Bamiyan Buddhas and Afghanistan’s Cultural Heritage

Rishika Dhumal

In Afghanistan, Buddhist cave temples are concentrated in three regions: Jalalabad (180 caves), Haibak (200 caves) and Bamiyan (1000 caves).^[1] The Bamiyan Buddhas are part of a Buddhist site in Bamiya

February 05, 2022 Neighbourhood Studies, Afghanistan, Article, Buddhism, Taliban, Bamiyan Buddhas, Sanctuary