Articles

Taliban

Uncertain Future of Women Rights in Afghanistan

Aakriti Vinayak, Research Associate, VIF Commentary

The world is in a state of flux. Ukraine crisis is triggering cascading risks globally. However, while the world attention is diverted to the Ukraine conflict, the crisis in Afghanistan remains sidelined. The country faces confluence of multiple cri....

May 16, 2022 Neighbourhood Studies , Afghanistan , Commentary , Afghanistan , Taliban , Neighbourhood studies , women rights , Education , Afghan women

What does Taliban Governance mean for the region?

Michael Kugelman

Since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan nearly nine months ago, the group’s governance has been marked by human rights violations, harsh restrictions on women, and the dominance of radical ideas. In this latest episode of the VIF podcast, we addr....

May 04, 2022 Neighbourhood Studies , Afghanistan , Pakistan , foreign policy , Afghanistan , Taliban , minorities , Human Rights , Podcast , Shahbaz Sharif

India-Central Asia: Defence and Security Cooperation

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....

February 28, 2022 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

Biden’s Executive Order on Afghan Funds

Dr Anwesha Ghosh Article

The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 prompted governments and international institutions to quickly freeze Afghan Central Bank assets abroad. Reportedly, about $7.1 bn of Afghan assets was held in the US.February 21, 2022 International Relations and Diplomacy , US , Article , Taliban , Humanitarian aid , Biden Administration , Executive order , frozen Afghan funds , 9/11 victim

Bamiyan Buddhas and Afghanistan’s Cultural Heritage

Rishika Dhumal, Research Assistant, VIF Article

In Afghanistan, Buddhist cave temples are concentrated in three regions: Jalalabad (180 caves), Haibak (200 caves) and Bamiyan (1000 caves).^[1] The Bamiyan Buddhas are part of a Buddhist site in Bamiya....

February 05, 2022 Neighbourhood Studies , Afghanistan , Article , Buddhism , Taliban , Bamiyan Buddhas , Sanctuary

Developments in the US: A Review of 2021 and Emerging Trends Ahead

Amb Arun K Singh, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Amb. Arun K. Singh, Distinguished Fellow at the VIF, recaps and examines the key developments in the United States in 2021 while speculating on the trends to come for the year ahead and the implications of these events for India. ....

January 18, 2022 International Relations and Diplomacy , US , China , Russia , Afghanistan , Taliban , Biden , Podcast , Ukraine Crisis , Indo-US ties

Likely Geopolitical Trends in 2022

Arvind Gupta, Director, VIF Article

We should expect a sharpening of great power rivalries and an increase in geopolitical tensions in 2022. If 2021 provides any indications, the world is likely to remain turbulent in the absence of credible mechanisms and effective cooperation to reso....

January 01, 2022 International Relations and Diplomacy , Article , India , Pakistan , US , China , Russia , democracy , Indo-Pacific , Xi , Taiwan , West Asia , Taliban , Neighbourhood , Biden

Afghanistan Mired in Uncertainty

Aakriti Vinayak, Research Associate, VIF Article

Taliban after illegitmately wresting power in Afghanistan has entered its fourth month. However the country remains in chaos and at the edge of abyss. United Nations(UN) has warned that Afghanistan is on countdown to catasrophe and it is at the brin....

December 24, 2021 Terrorism , National Security and Strategic Studies , Article , economy , Afghanistan , Taliban , Humanitarian Crisis

Random Thoughts 2021 - Emerging Paradigm Shift in the Changing Global, Political and Economic Order

S Gurumurthy, Chairman, VIF

Random Thoughts 2021 touches upon unusual range of subjects, namely from emerging civilisational, religious and historical issues; to out-of-the-box suggestions for astronomy-based education for conflict avoidance, to how liberal democracies are shor....

December 02, 2021 International Relations and Diplomacy , China , Afghanistan , Internal Security , Economic , Taliban , Book Published , Random Thoughts , Global Developments , Border Issues , China-Pakistan Axis , Emerging Strategic Relations , Strategic Partnerships

EU-Central Asia Relations: An Emerging Partnership

Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Senior Research Associate , VIF Article

On November 5, European Union (EU) leaders met with prime minister-level Central Asian representatives in Bishkek for the inaugural EU-Central Asia Economic Forum. The delegation from the EU was led by Executive Vice-President and Trade Commissioner ....

November 29, 2021 International Relations and Diplomacy , Central Asia , Article , Afghanistan , Uzbekistan , Taliban , European Union , Tajikistan , Green Recovery , Digitization , Civil Society , Energy Exports , Hydrocarbons , Business climate , Economic Forum