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 
The Changing Dynamics of Taliban’s Relations with its Central Asian Neighbours
September 04, 2024 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
The Taliban seized control of Kabul in August 2021, overthrowing the democratic government of Afghanistan. It has been three years since their rule, yet they have not gained international recognition. Many assessments have been made regarding how the...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Commentary, Taliban, Trans Afghan railway, Qosh tepa Canal. TAPI, Lapis Lazuli Corridor
The significance of PM Modi's Visit to Russia
July 25, 2024 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Background On July 8th and 9th, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, visited Moscow to participate in the 22nd India-Russia Summit with President Putin. The summit was a significant event in global geopolitics, allowing Prime Minis...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Russia, Article, INSTC, Make in India, Arctic, Northern Sea Route, India-Russia Summit, Chennai-Vladivostok
How Critical are the Critical Minerals for Central Asia?
June 25, 2024 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Why are Critical Minerals Important? Critical minerals, with their unique and irreplaceable properties, are vital to modern technologies, industries, and national security. Their designation as critical stems from these properties but als...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Commentary, China, BRI, C5+1, clean energy, critical minerals, Rare Earth Minerals, Green energy, US-Central Asia
Why is the UK Courting Central Asia?
May 29, 2024 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Background The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has prompted Western countries to play a more active role in Central Asia. In March 2023, US Secretary Anthony Blinken visited Central Asia, followed by German Federal President Steinm...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Commentary, China, Russia, sanctions, Russia Ukraine conflict, Energy resources, Multivector foreign policy, Educational initiatives
Indian Army Chief’s visit to Uzbekistan and prospects of Indo-Uzbek Defence Cooperation
April 16, 2024 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Background Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army, General Manoj Pande is on a three-day visit to Uzbekistan from 15-18 April. [1] In the backdrop of a fast-ch...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, Article, Make in India, Afghanistan, defence cooperation, Missiles, terrorist attack, Joint Production, Military Exercise, military medicine
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VIF Papers 
Geopolitics of Eurasia and its Strategic Significance for India
June 21, 2024 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
… Eurasia has assumed greater geopolitical importance … facilitating connectivity and boosting trade and investments are two major requirements … India needs to improve regional engagements and strike an optimal balance between continental and ...

Tags: International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, INSTC, Defining Eurasia, Indo Eurasia relations, Strategic significance of Eurasian Countries, Central Asia-Eurasia politics, outreach to Eurasia Central Asia
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 Delegation Visit to Uzbekistan
May 15, 2023 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Uzbekistan held a nationwide referendum on constitutional reforms on April 30, 2023. A delegation from Vivekananda international Foundation (VIF) which included Dr Arvind Gupta, Director, VIF and Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow (Central Asia...

Tags: Conference, International Relations and Diplomacy, Central Asia, agriculture, Climate Change, Uzbekistan, Food Security
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
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Outreach 
Modi's Visit to Boost India-Russia Cooperation in Far East, Indian Ocean: Experts
July 10, 2024 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Published in Sputnik news India on 10th July 2024...

Is India undermining the SCO?
July 03, 2024 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Published in Hindustan Times on 3rd July 2024...

A view from New Delhi: The strategic discussions in Tashkent signify a promising future for the partnership between Uzbekistan and the United Nations
July 03, 2024 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Published in Dunyo Information Agency on 3rd July 2024...

Northern Sea Route Could be a Game-changer for Russia-India Ties
June 07, 2024 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Published in Sputnik news India on 7th June 2024...

Building Resilience: Strategies for Countering Terrorism in Central Asia
May 16, 2024 Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF
Published in Valdai Discussion Club, on 16th May 2024....

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