Articles

Afghanistan and Central Asia: The Canal Conundrum

Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF Article

In 2021, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in an attempted military takeover that overthrew the country’s officially recognised government. The Taliban encountered little resistance in retaking control of Kabul in less unusual circumstances.....

September 22, 2023 International Relations and Diplomacy , Article , Soviet Union , Taliban , UNGA , Amu Darya , Qosh Tepa Canal , Protocol 566 , Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan , Trilateral meeting

China: Daily Scan, October 12, 2022

China's investment in water conservancy reaches record high: Xinhuanet October 11, 2022

China invested a record 823.6 billion yuan (115.88 billion U.S. dollars) in water conservancy facilities from January to September, up 64.1 percent y....

October 12, 2022 Soviet Union , COVID-19 , Shanghai , China Daily Digest , Wang Yang , Hu Chunhua , Ding Xuexiang , Chen Miner

Remembering Gorbachev

Amb Rajiv Sikri Article

“The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.” (William Shakespeare) Mikhail Gorbachev’s passing away on 30th August has compelled observers around the world to assess his place in history. For t....

September 12, 2022 International Relations and Diplomacy , Russia , Article , Nuclear , Soviet Union , Ukraine , Yeltsin , Moscow , CPSU , Gorbachev , perestroika , KGB , Khrushchev , oligarchy , reform , Stalin , uskorine

The man who brought down the Iron Curtain

Amb P S Raghavan, Distinguished Fellow, VIF Article

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has frequently been quoted as saying that the breakup of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical disaster of the twentieth century. Mikhail Gorbachev, the last President of the USSR, who passed away in Mosco....

September 02, 2022 International Relations and Diplomacy , Russia , Article , Soviet Union , Vladimir Putin , mikhail gorbachev , nobel peace prize , warsaw pact

The Ukraine Crisis: India’s Approach

Arvind Gupta, Director, VIF Commentary

India abstained on the last UNGA resolution which suspended Russia from the Human Rights Council. Explaining India’s vote, the Indian ambassador strongly condemned civilian killings in Bucha while reiterating India’s unwavering commitment to Huma....

April 18, 2022 International Relations and Diplomacy , Commentary , UNGA resolution , India , US , China , Russia , Soviet Union , Ukrainian crisis , Libyan , 2 plus 2 dialogue

China: Daily Scan, January 24, 2022

Chinese economy gets off to a good start in 14th Five-Year Plan period: Quishi

January 24, 2022

Thanks to the efforts of the Chinese government and people, China led the world in terms of both economic development and epidemic p....

January 24, 2022 Afghanistan , Taiwan , Soviet Union , China Daily Digest , Xinjiang , Kenya , J-20 , Zhejiang , Liaoning , Hebei , Beijing 2022 , Xiaohongshu , Hangzhou , Sichuan , Wing Loong UAV

The Two Tales of Pakistan’s Geography

Amit Kumar Article

Pakistan’s location, for long, has been a source of attraction in America’s foreign policy. However, Pakistan has leveraged its geography to continuously venture into strategic adventures that have endangered global peace and security. ....

September 02, 2021 Neighbourhood Studies , Afghanistan , Pakistan , Article , US , geography , Terrorism , Soviet Union , Taliban , Cold War , Humanitarian Crisis , war on terror , Af-Pak region , Strategic Depth , Mujahideen , Nuclear Proliferation

Sino-Tajik Relations: An Unequal Partnership

Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF Article

The narrative about the ‘peaceful Rise of China’ is ironic. China has border disputes with all its neighbours. Some of these issues have been addressed, while some still exist. For example, its border dispute with India is a critical issue affect....

August 17, 2021 International Relations and Diplomacy , Central Asia , China , Article , India , SCO , Afghanistan , military base , Soviet Union , Tajikistan , Debt Trap , Xinjiang , Badakhshan , Uyghurs , Border Dispute , Chinese Belligerence , investment and trade , Pamir Region

Shanghai Cooperation Organization: New Delhi’s March into Eurasia

Dr Rashmini Koparkar

India became the full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on 9th June in Astana. Along with India, Pakistan has also joined the forum. Inclusion of the new members has expanded organization’s geographical outreach, and has raised ....

June 23, 2017 International Relations and Diplomacy , Pakistan , Russia , SCO , Eurasia , Uzbekistan , Shanghai Cooperation Organization , global GDP , Soviet Union

Round Table Discussion : India-Iran Relations

On 19 Sep 2016, Amb Dinkar Srivastava, India’s former Ambassador to Iran, conducted a round table discussion on ‘India-Iran relations and the way forward’. The interaction among experts focused on three key issues: terrorism, regional connectiv....

September 26, 2016 International Relations and Diplomacy , Interaction , Chabahar Port , Iran , Soviet Union , India-Iran relations