Vivekananda International Foundation | Seeking Harmony in Diversity

Seminar on Gas and Hydrogen Economy in India

On 1 November 2023, VIF organized a Seminar on “Gas and Hydrogen Economy in India.” The seminar was chaired by Dr. Arvind Gupta, Director of VIF, and it was attended by researchers and industry practitioners. Five speakers presented on the role of gas and hydrogen in India’s clean energy transition. They include the following: Mr. J. Maria Thomas, Deputy General Manager (Corporate Strategy Planning and Advocacy), GAIL (India) Limited; Amb. DP Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF; Dr. VK Saraswat, Member of NITI Aayog; Mr.

November 23, 2023 Event Report

Climate Change: Reflections on Issues, Challenges and the Way Forward

The Climate Change Expert Group was established at the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) in 2022. It comprises of experts from a wide range of fields, including climate and weather systems, the environment, energy, diplomacy and national security. The expert group’s mandate was to explore ways in which climate change has manifested in India and how it has affected the country’s well- being, national security, foreign policy, contemporary geopolitics and geo-economics. It also aims to provide policy-relevant recommendations in areas pertaining to climate mitigation and adaptation.

November 22, 2023 VIF Report

Workshop on Bluer, Greener, and Inclusive Growth on the Sundarban through an Ecosystem-based Approach

On 24 May 2023, the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) and the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), in partnership with the World Bank, organized a workshop on “Bluer, Greener, and Inclusive Growth on the Sundarban through an Ecosystem-based Approach.” The workshop was attended by officials from the Government of Bangladesh, Government of India, Government of West Bengal, key think tanks, and civil society organizations. The objectives of the workshop were as follow:

June 19, 2023 Event Report

Sudan’s Fate: Revolution, Coup and Civil War

Dr Hirak Jyoti Das

Sudan since the last few decades has witnessed civil wars, terrorism, mass killings, state tyranny, street protests, partition and coups. The April 2019 protest that toppled the autocratic rule of General Omar Al-Bashir opened the path towards democratisation. The post-Al-Bashir transition process is marked by power contest between civilian groups and military as well as tussle among multiple political parties, armed rebel groups and paramilitary attempting to position itself within the new politico-military order.

May 29, 2023 Paper

Climate Change Adaptation in India from the Past to the Present

Heena Samant, Research Associate, VIF

PK Khup Hangzo, Associate Fellow, VIF

The impact of climate change have manifested in various ways including through extreme weather events. Extreme weather events are “weather phenomena that are at the extremes of the historical distribution and are rare for a particular place and/or time, especially severe or unseasonal weather.

April 26, 2023 Monograph

India’s Energy Transition in a Carbon-Constrained World - Final Report

The concern for climate change has spurred an intense debate on energy transition to a low carbon economy. Climate change is an existential problem facing humanity. While the developed world has contributed most to global warming, its consequences will be felt by all countries. The worst affected will be those least equipped to deal with it. Vivekananda International Foundation has undertaken a study of energy choices available to India keeping in mind our development perspective.

December 22, 2022 VIF Report

Let There Be Water: Israel’s Solution for a Water-Starved World by Seth M. Siegel, Thomas Press India Ltd, 2015, ISBN 978-1-250-12959-8, 337 pp, price- 699 Rupees

Heena Samant, Research Associate, VIF

Israel, a small country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, is a land of many innovations. It has emerged as a leader in the field of technology and has been described as the “start-up” nation of the world. However, another domain where it has taken precedence is in the area of “water security”.

October 31, 2022 Books/Book Review

VIF-CICIR-CASS virtual Roundtable on “China-India Climate Change: Dynamics and the Way Forward”

On 15 June 2022, Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) organized a virtual roundtable on China-India Climate Change: Dynamics and the Way Forward. There was a general recognition that the Sino-Indian border issue has stood in the way of greater cooperation between India and China on various issues including climate change.

June 23, 2022 Event Report

Watershed- How We Destroyed India’s Water and We Can Save it? | Author- Mridula Ramesh, Hachette INDIA, 2021, Gurugram: ISBN 978-93-91028-68-8 415 pp, price- 699 Rupees

Heena Samant, Research Associate, VIF

Water is not an infinite resource. It has no substitute. At present, there is a need for acknowledging this reality with certitude across the world. Globally, at present 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed countries, out of which 733 million people live in high or critically water-stressed countries.[1] In fact, it is estimated that by 2025 two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages.

May 06, 2022 Books/Book Review

Vimarsh on the Earth Sciences & their Importance for the Nation's Well-being - Dr. Shailesh Nayak

On the ninth of February, 2022, the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organised a Vimarsh on the “Earth Sciences and their Importance for the Nation's Well-being”. The session encompassed a series of introductory remarks by Dr Arvind Gupta, Director VIF, and a presentation on the stated theme by Dr Shailesh Nayak- Director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies and Distinguished Scientist from the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

February 15, 2022 Event Report