Vivekananda International Foundation | Seeking Harmony in Diversity

Lt Gen (Dr) Rakesh Sharma (Retd.), Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Any study of PLA gets hit by the wall of opacity or broad based sources, lacking as it is of military transparency and accountability. Xinhua or People’s Daily or Global Times tend to enjoy official patronage and state the official line in t

October 26, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, China, Article, Xi Jinping, CMC, CCP, LAC, Ladakh, corruption PLA, Gen Zhang Yang, peace disease, 1959 Line

The Quad: Is Security the Galvanizer?

Amb Anil Wadhwa, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

The significance of the Quad Foreign Ministers meeting in Tokyo on 6 October 2020 lies in the fact that it happened in person despite the pandemic – last year the Quad foreign ministers had met on the margins of the UNGA. The level of this annual m

October 26, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, Article, India, China, ASEAN, Quad Plus, Australia, LAC, Wang Yi, Blue Dot Initiative, Free and open Indo-Pacific, Malabar exercises, PM Suga, Resilient Supply Chains

Quad acquires Stronger Teeth as Australia joins Malabar Naval Exercises

Prof Rajaram Panda

The decision of India to invite Australia to join the annual Malabar naval exercises after a gap of 13 years is a substantial strategic move whose significance in the region’s strategic landscape shall hereafter acquire greater heft. This also mean

October 24, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, Article, Indo-Pacific, QUAD, Maritime Security, Malabar, COMCASA, LEMOA, BECA, MDA, PASSEX, JIMEX

The Frozen Conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh Flares up again

Amb Anil Trigunayat, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Nagorno Karabakh is one of the frozen conflicts in Eurasia for over a quarter century. However, on September 27 the two contenders and neighbours Azerbaijan and Armenia fired up the conflict yet again resulting in hundreds of casualties and attacks o

October 23, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, Russia, Article, India, Pakistan, Russia, Iran, Putin, Turkey, Oil, Azerbaijan, Erdogan, Armenia, CSTO, OSCE Minsk group

How the Sabah Dispute Challenges ASEAN’s Regional Security Vision

Amb Gurjit Singh

The issue of Sabah or North Borneo, as it was known till 1963¹, was brushed under a legal carpet of convenience ever since the Malaysian Federation was formed. Sabah lies on the island of Borneo, the world’s third largest island astride

October 22, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, Article, ASEAN, South China Sea, Philippines, Borneo, ICJ, Malaysia, PCA, Sabah, Sulu Islands, Treaty of Amity and Cooperation

India favours gradual evolution of the Quad

Arvind Gupta, Director, VIF

The 2nd ministerial meeting of the Quad group of countries hosted by Japan in Tokyo on 6th October 2020 was significant. The Foreign Ministers of India, Australia and the US Secretary of State flew specially to Tokyo for a face-to-face meeting, ignor

October 22, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, Commentary, China, QUAD, Japan, NATO, 2+2 Dialogue, LAC

Why the Revival of CPEC now?

Prerna Gandhi, Associate Fellow, VIF

In international rhetoric, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is often referred to as the crown jewel or the colossal blunder of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. These diametrically opposite assessments reflect the ambiguity and irrationa

October 21, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, China, Pakistan, Article, Afghanistan, CPEC, Imran Khan, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Xinjiang, Hydel Power Projects, Chinese Military Base, Wakhan Corridor, CCCC, External Debt

Need for a Vigorous Africa Strategy

Amb Anil Trigunayat, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Africa enchants most people. But our relations and contacts with Africa have been umbilical to say the least. Africa is close to us and very important too is a given. Has it acquired salience remained debatable for quite some time despite the best i

October 20, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, Africa, Commentary, India, China, East Africa, PM Modi, Covid 19, Asia Africa Growth Corridor, AfCFTA, debt traps, IAFS

Japan- Vietnam Security Matrix in the Indo-Pacific Region

Prof Rajaram Panda

The security scenario centring in the much contested South China Sea continues to be grimmer because of China’s expansionist designs and expanding maritime claims, converting this part of the ocean into the most dangerous hotspot. In its intimidati

October 19, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, Indo-Pacific, China, Article, China, ASEAN, Indo-Pacific, QUAD, South China Sea, Philippines, Indonesia, Wang Yi, defence sale, Yoshide Suga