Home Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Dr. Pravesh Kumar Gupta is a Associate Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF). He has a doctoral degree in Central Asian Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. His PhD. Topic was Tajikistan-Pakistan Relations, 1991-2014. His primary interests of research are society and politics of Central Asian Republics, geopolitics of Central and South Asia, Energy Security and trans-regional energy linkages between Central and South Asia.

Dr. Pravesh Kumar Gupta is a Associate Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF). He has a doctoral degree in Central Asian Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. His PhD. Topic was Tajikistan-Pakistan Relations, 1991-2014. His primary interests of research are society and politics of Central Asian Republics, geopolitics of Central and South Asia, Energy Security and trans-regional energy linkages between Central and South Asia.

Contributions 
How Useful was Secretary Blinken’s Visit to Central Asia?
March 07, 2023 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Background A year has passed since the Ukrainian conflict erupted in February last year. This crisis has had a devastating impact not just on the countries involved but also on those not part of this conflict. Supply chain disruptions, a ...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Article, China, Russia, SCO, Central Asia, reforms, CSTO, C5+1, Ukraine Crisis, Sanctions. USA
Is Taming the Dragon Possible in Central Asia?
February 28, 2023 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Background Due to its proximity to China’s western region and abundant natural resources, the Central Asian region is crucial from a geopolitical perspective. With the demise of the Soviet Union, China established a significant political ...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Commentary, Russia, SCO, Protests, Kazakhstan, Corruption, BRI, illegal immigrants, Debt Trap, Leasing Land, Ukraine Conflict, Anti-China Protests, Cultural Invasion
Central Asia: A Look Back at 2022 and Projections for 2023
January 04, 2023 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Background The year 2022 has been challenging for the Central Asian region. In addition to the widespread anti-government protests resulting from the tumultuous internal socio-economic and political environment, the external impact of the...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Article, China, Russia, SCO, Protests, Central Asia, elections, Turkey, EU, reforms, Railways, Connectivity, CSTO, Ukraine Crisis, Karakalpakstan, Consultative meetings
The significance of the First Meeting of India-Central Asia NSAs
December 15, 2022 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Introduction On December 6, 2022, the National Security Advisors/Secretaries (NSAs) of India and Central Asian countries met for the first time in Delhi. The meeting was hosted by India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and attended ...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Commentary, INSTC, Afghanistan, Radicalism, Chabahar, Terror Financing, Counter terrorism, Connectivity
Why is Early Presidential Elections in Kazakhstan Significant?
December 01, 2022 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Background The incumbent President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev won by a landslide in an early presidential election on November 20, 2022. He was reelected because the Kazakh people trusted him and supported a fair g...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Commentary, Kazakhstan, Tokayev, Snap Elections, January Protests, Constitutional reforms, Observers, Exit polls, political opposition
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VIF Papers 
Great Game Revisited: China's Grand Eurasian Strategy through the Prism of 'One Belt One Road'
July 05, 2022 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
… 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 mas...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, OBOR, post-Soviet Central Asia, China & Central Asia, China’s economic overdrive, China’s development loans, Central Asian States’ fiscal bondage, loan diplomacy in Euresia
VIF Roundtable on India-Central Asia Relations | Summary of Discussions
April 13, 2020 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
India-Central Asia relations gained momentum in the recent past with Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the five Central Asian Republics in 2015 and India’s permanent membership to Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2017. During Prime Ministe...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Central Asia, India-Central Asia relations, SCO Summits, Prime Minister Modi's Visit
Book Published / Book Reviews 
The Spectre of Afghanistan: Security in Central Asia by Kirill Nourzhanov and Amin Saikal; London, I.B.TAURIS Bloomsbury Publishing Plc., 2021, pp. 249.
June 20, 2022 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
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. Alth...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Uzbekistan, United States, NATO, Book Reviews, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Central Asian countries
Buddha in Gandhara by Sunita Dwivedi; Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, 2020, 295pp.
July 08, 2021 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
‘Buddha in Gandhara’ is the fourth book by Sunita Dwivedi. She is a Silk Road traveller and has a keen interest in uncovering Buddhist heritage across India Subcontinent. This book presents an account of the ancient Buddhist cities of Gandhara...

Tags: Historical and Civilisational Studies, Kashmir, Book Reviews, Philosophy, Buddhist, Gandhara, Buddha, Greco-Roman, Buddhas Dhamma
The Rise and Fall of Khoqand: Central Asia in the Global Age, 1709-1876. By Scott C. Levi, Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Press, 2017. 2017, 258pp.
June 03, 2020 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Until recently, a few books have been published on the history of Central Asian Khanates of Khiva, Bukhara, and Kokand. In his book, Levi C. Scott, a professor of Central Asian history at Ohio State University, focuses on the historical significance ...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Book Reviews, Central Asian history, Ferghana Valley, Crimean War, Russian forces, Khanate of Kokand
VIF Briefs 
Revitalization of INSTC and Prospects of the Greater Eurasian Connectivity
December 30, 2022 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
The geostrategic significance of Central Asia is very much important from India’s foreign policy and domestic policy points of view. Central Asia shares a border with China in the East, Caspian in the West, Russia in the North, and Iran and Afghani...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, China, Russia, INSTC, Chabahar Port, Central Asia, Iran, North-South Transport Corridor
Turkey’s Role as a Regional Actor in Central Asia: An Assessment
March 29, 2022 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Central Asia’s geostrategic location at the crossroads of East and West has shaped substantial geopolitical rivalries in the region. Even though the region is within Russia’s sphere of influence, China has made significant advances in Central Asi...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, energy, Azerbaijan, Gas pipeline, Drones, Turkic States, Georgia, Trans -Caspian, Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan, Karabakh War
India-Central Asia: Defence and Security Cooperation
February 28, 2022 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Central Asia has emerged as an important geopolitical space after the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991. Its geostrategic location at the crossroads of East and West, South, Central, and West Asia has often resulted in the spread of challeng...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Defence production, Taliban, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, India-Central Asia Dialogue, Delhi declaration, Khanjar, Kazind, Defence Expo, India-Central Asia Summit
India-Tajikistan Relations: The Security Factor
March 03, 2019 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
India and Tajikistan share great historical and cultural relations. Tajikistan was a part of Kushana and Persian Empires which had close cultural linkages with the Indian subcontinent. During the Islamic rule in India, Persian language and Sufism fro...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, India, India-Tajikistan Relations, Tajikistan, India’s Central Asia policy
Event Reports 
VIF Interaction with the visiting delegation from Iran On Interfaith Dialogue in the Historical Perspective, especially from India and Iran Point of View
December 26, 2022 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
On December 15, 2022, the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organized an interaction with a high level delegation from Iran. The theme of the discussion was 'Interfaith Dialogue in the Historical Perspective, especially from India and Iran P...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Historical and Civilisational Studies, Interaction, Conflict Avoidance, Samvad, Religions, Interfaith Dialogue
Interaction with Delegation from the Institute of Political and International Studies IPIS, Iran
December 19, 2022 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
On November 11, 2022, the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) had a discussion with a visiting delegation from Iran's Institute of Political and International Studies (IPIS). Dr Arvind Gupta, Director VIF, delivered the introductory remarks, w...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Conferences, India, Iran, Russia-Ukraine
Discussion on Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Achievements and Prospects
September 30, 2022 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), organized a Round Table Discussion on “Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Achievements and Prospects” on September 5, 2022. Dr. Arvind Gupta, Director VIF, delivered the welcome remarks, followed by r...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Interaction, SCO, INSTC, Chabahar, FTA, Shanghai Cooperation, SCO Startup Forum
VIF-IPIS Webinar on Bilateral, Regional and International Issues
August 03, 2022 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
In order to assess the dynamics of India-Iran relations, the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) Iran, in collaboration with the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organized a webinar on Bilateral, Regional and Internatio...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Seminars, bilateral, Regional, International Issues
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”
June 24, 2022 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
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...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Interaction, Iran, Chabahar, Islamic Republic, cultural and historical ties
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Outreach 
Uzbekistan’s Referendum: A litmus test for popular support for Constitutional Amendments
March 17, 2023 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Published in the London Post. on 17 March 2023...

Reaction from India: Constitutional reform will further open new prospects for the country's development
March 14, 2023 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Published in the Du...

Blinken’s visit to Central Asia focused more on Russia and China than on Central Asia
March 09, 2023 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Published in the Financial Express on 9 March 2023...

Comment from India: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's visit to Egypt will strengthen bilateral relations and open new opportunities for mutual cooperation.
February 22, 2023 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
...

India’s SCO presidency must focus on highlighting its civilisational distinctive
February 16, 2023 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Published in the Hindustan Times on 16th February 2023...

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