Articles | Vivekananda International Foundation

Nepalese Budget for 2020-21: More Figures than Solutions

On May 28, 2020, Finance Minister, Yubaraj Khatiwada, presented Federal Budget of Rs. 1,474 billion for the FY 2020-21 at a time when the entire nation is engulfed by coronavirus pandemic. In such an unusual period, expectations were that the budget ....

June 29, 2020 Neighbourhood Studies , Nepal , Article , China , COVID-19 , Health sector , migrant workers , Nepal Budget , Agriculture sector , Infrastructure Development , Land Banks , Madhes region

Sino Indian Faceoff: An Inflection Point in Relations

Amb Satish Chandra, Vice Chairman, VIF Article

The ongoing Sino-Indian faceoff at several points in Ladakh as well as at Naku La in Sikkim have brought the relationship to an inflexion point. While examining the extraordinary gravity of this face off -- a product of Chinese duplicity and aggressi....

June 23, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , China , Article , India , China , LAC , Ladakh , Galwan valley , Fingers area , UN Human Rights Council

A Guide to India-Australia Relations

For the first time in India’s diplomatic history a summit was held on a virtual platform. On 4th June 2020 Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed a range of issues with his Australian counterpart, Prime Minister Scott Morrison. This summit is signi....

June 22, 2020 Terrorism , India , China , Indo-Pacific , QUAD , Australia , International Relations , Maritime Security , Indian Ocean , COVID-19

An Assessment of China’s 13th National People’s Congress – May 2020’

Jayadeva Ranade Article

Summary

The 3rd Plenum of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) was held in Beijing from May 22 to 28, 2020, in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic with restrictions on expenditure and social interaction.
Th....

June 20, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Neighbourhood Studies , China , Article , China , economy , Xi Jinping , CPPCC , Tsinghua University , Pandemic , Two Sessions , 13th CPC , military Deputies , criticism , Hongkong , Two Centenary goals , US-China relations

India and EU: An Insider’s View by Bhaswati Mukherjee, New Delhi: ICWA and Vij Books, 2018, ISBN: 978-81-93759-10-3, pp. 336, Rs 995

Dr Himani Pant

Although India was among the first countries to develop ties with the European community in the 1960s, the country’s present level of engagement with the European Union (EU) is not commensurate with the existing potential. The four-year long hiatus....

June 18, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Europe , China , European Union , Brexit , Book Reviews , India-EU summits

Eastern LADAKH (EL) and Siachen: The Geo-Strategic Obstruct

Lt Gen (Dr) Rakesh Sharma (Retd.), Distinguished Fellow, VIF Article

Indeed, the Soltoro Ridge with the Shyok River to its West, the Siachen Glacier and the Nubra Valley and the Saser Muztagh with the Shyok River to its East, is a great geostrategic obstruct to any collusive designs of Pakistan and China. With the Sha....

June 17, 2020 National Security and Strategic Studies , Article , China , Siachen , Aksai Chin , Galwan , Eastern Ladakh , Gilgit-Baltistan , Shyok , Trans Karakoram Tract , ISR

COVID-19 in Tajikistan: From Denial to Full-scale Crisis

Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF Article

Despite being surrounded by the countries with positive cases of coronavirus, the Tajik Government had consistently denied the existence of the virus until April 30 when 15 cases were reported. This announcement was made when the World Health Organiz....

June 15, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , Central Asia , Article , India , China , Kyrgyzstan , Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan , poverty , Unemployment , Tajikistan , Coronavirus , COVID-19 , World Bank , Pandemic , IMF , Remittances , Pneumonia , Medical Diplomacy , Vande Bharat

Ultra Virus | A Poem

Amb Kanwal Sibal Commentary

The road to the exalted status of Xi-ri Xi-ri Xi-ri Xi-ri Xi-ri Xi

In lanes behind Hotel Raffles In Singapore it still baffles Me how our dear friend Hu Noh Lai Knew I would be passing by. He softly whispered in my ea....

June 13, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy , China , Commentary , China , Xi , Ultra Plans , Ultra Virus , Propaganda Department

Pakistan: Worsening Economic Condition

Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF Commentary

Pakistan was already going through an economic slowdown when the COVID outbreak took place. It had received the US $ 6 billion of assistance from the IMF under Extended Fund Facility last year. The money came with conditions. The IMF policy of inflat....

June 12, 2020 Neighbourhood Studies , Pakistan , Commentary , China , Saudi Arabia , CPEC , World Bank , Covid , IMF , Inflation , negative growth , oil revenues

Background

Summary

The road to the exalted status of Xi-ri Xi-ri Xi-ri Xi-ri Xi-ri Xi