Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Presently he is a Distinguished Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation. He was the Indian Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran (2011-15). During his tenure, he led negotiations on Indian Participation in Chabahar Port. In the past, he has served as Indian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Libya and India’s High Commissioner to Malta. He joined Indian Foreign Services in 1978. After retirement, he served as Senior Advisor to ONGC Videsh Ltd (2015-16). He also served as an Independent Director on the Board of GAIL (2017-20). He negotiated the MOU with Iran for Indian participation in Chabahar Port and has served on the Board of Directors of India Ports Global Ltd, the company under the Shipping Ministry charged with the development of Chabahar Port.

Contributions

Elections in J&K and the Situation in POK

September 23, 2024 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

The J&K Assembly elections have seen hectic round of campaigning by different political parties. The Lok Sabha elections in May saw an unprecedented high voter turn-out of 58.46% in J&K. The first phase of Assembly elections saw a higher voter turn-o...

Tags: Jammu & Kashmir, National Security and Strategic Studies, Article, Pakistan, Water, Article 370, Gilgit Baltistan, PDP, Eectricity, J & K Elections, National Conference

Assassination of Hamas Leader Haniyeh in Tehran

August 09, 2024 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Since the missile exchange between Israel and Iran in April last, the tensions in the region had subsided though the war in Gaza was simmering. There was some hope that Israel and Hamas were nearing a deal on hostage release and ceasefire. The target...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Commentary, Israel, Iran, Gaza, UN, Hezbollah, Hamas, Haniyeh, Palestine authority

India’s Energy Diplomacy: 10 Years of Modi Government

June 19, 2024 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

India’s GDP was a little over USD 2 trillion in 2014. [1] That has grown to USD 3.7 trillion currently. This near doubling of the GDP in ten years of the Modi government has al...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Energy Security, Russia Ukraine war, Reflections on PM Narendra Modi's Foreign Policy, Reflections on PM Narendra Modi's Foreign Policy, Energy Diplomacy, ONGC Videsh Limited, Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor, Atomic Energy Act, India’s Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, Hydroelectricity

PM Shahbaz Sharif’s Visit to Beijing

June 14, 2024 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Shahbaz Sharif concluded his five-day visit to China on 8th June. While China may be Pakistan’s most important foreign partner, the prime minister’s dash to Beijing on the eve of the budget session raises questions. Pakistan follows a July-June b...

Tags: Neighbourhood Studies, Pakistan, Commentary, Pakistan, China, CPEC, Balochistan, Gwadar, IMF, Shahbaz Sharif, Gen Asim Munir

Crisis in the Middle East

May 20, 2024 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

The Gaza war has continued beyond seven months. Amidst stepped-up diplomatic efforts, the fate of the hostage deal continues to be uncertain. The US Secretary of State Blinken visited Saudi Arabia and Israel. Israeli forces have entered Rafah. There ...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Article, Israel, Iran, IRGC, Gaza, America, Hamas, hostages, Rafah

Book Published / Book Reviews

Book Review: ‘A Life Well Spent: Four Decades in the Indian Foreign Service’; Amb. Satish Chandra, Roopa Publications, 2023, ISBN: 9357020950, pp. 284, Rs 636

May 19, 2023 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

The book by Ambassador Satish Chandra covers four decades he served in the Indian Foreign Service from 1965 to 2005. The book is not simply an account of his personal journey. It provides a glimpse into the making of foreign policy. It also covers In...

Tags: Jammu & Kashmir, National Security and Strategic Studies, International Relations and Diplomacy, Pakistan, foreign policy, Jammu & Kashmir, Book Reviews, Awami League, 1971, UNCHR

VIF Briefs

Pakistan: Nuclear Deterrence and Ideology

March 16, 2020 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

The nuclear age coincided with the advent of the Cold War. The concept of deterrence evolved in the background of ideological divide. However, both sides kept nuclear deterrence insulated from ideological considerations. This pragmatism was born out ...

Tags: Neighbourhood Studies, Pakistan, Cold War, Pakistan Nuclear Deterrence, Helsinki Accord, Pakistan’s nuclear policy

Event Reports

Release of the Interim Report of the VIF Task Force on ‘India’s Energy Transition in a Carbon-Constrained World: The Role of Nuclear Power’ by Gurumurthy Ji, Chairman, VIF

January 27, 2022 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Shri Gurumurthy Ji, Chairman VIF made a virtual release of the Interim Report of the VIF Task Force on “India’s Energy Transition in a Carbon-Constrained World: The Role of Nuclear Power” at a function hosted by the Vivekananda International Fo...

Tags: National Security and Strategic Studies, Conferences, Climate Change, India’s energy security, Nucler power

Release of ‘Forgotten Kashmir: The Other Side of the Line of Control’ by Shri Manoj Sinha, Lt. Governor of Union Territory of J&K

May 20, 2021 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Shri Manoj Sinha, Lt. Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir released ‘Forgotten Kashmir: The Other Side of the Line of Kashmir’ in a virtual event on 18th March 2021. The book has been published by Harper Collins. Its author Ambass...

Tags: Jammu & Kashmir, National Security and Strategic Studies, Book Discussions, POK, Governor, Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Manoj Sinha

Outreach

Will strategy or ideology decide the future of Pakistan occupied Kashmir?

February 18, 2021 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Published at Mint Lounge on 3rd Feb 2021....

Why India needs to ramp up nuclear power: All you need to know

July 06, 2019 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Published in Business Standard on 6 July 2019....

Rising tensions in the Gulf: US sanctions and Iran’s response point to looming danger

May 20, 2019 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Published in Financial Times on 20 May 2019....

Nehru’s Himalayan UN gaffe: File on permanent UNSC membership offer to India must be traced and declassified

May 15, 2019 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Published in Times of India on 15 May 2019....

As America looks to withdraw from Afghanistan what is that country’s future, and what are India’s options?

February 05, 2019 Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Published in Time of India on 5th Feb 2019....