Taliban
Uncertain Future of Women Rights in Afghanistan

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....

What does Taliban Governance mean for the region?

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....

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....

Biden’s Executive Order on Afghan Funds

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

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....

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

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. ....

Likely Geopolitical Trends in 2022

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....

Afghanistan Mired in Uncertainty

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....

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

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....

EU-Central Asia Relations: An Emerging Partnership

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 ....

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