On 17th January, 2021 the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), hosted Ambassador Anil Wadhwa, a retired diplomat and Distinguished Fellow at the VIF, to deliver a talk on the “Strategic Developments in the Indo-Pacific” as a part of its Vimarsh Dialogue Series. Dr. Arvind Gupta, Director of the VIF, welcomed the speaker and delivered his opening remarks.
This paper seeks to investigate the factors that allowed China to emerge as a major player in the Oceania. The paper argues that the traditional powers in the region, the ANZUS, have viewed the region predominantly through the geostrategic lens and in the process, have ignored the core concerns of the Pacific States and instead securitized the region driven by their narrow strategic goals, creating a vacuum and a readymade ground for China to step up and assume a gradually increasing influential role in the region with relative ease and without any credible resistance.
Indian Ocean is of critical importance to India. The Indian peninsula juts out into the Indian Ocean. In fact, this is the only ocean in the world that is named after a country. The 21st century is a maritime century; therefore, the significance of the oceans would be enhanced all over. For India, Indian Ocean becomes important more than ever before. Trade and energy routes pass through the Indian Ocean, but a new challenge has emerged in the form of the rise of China. It is in this context that David Brewster’s book requires attention.
On 17 October the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) in conjuncture with the Institute of International and Strategic Studies, (IISS) London and the British High Commission organised a day-long roundtable on the Indian Ocean. The idea behind this initiative was to construct a frank and candid discussion on the interests of India and the UK in the Indian Ocean, the security concerns and objectives and explore vistas for cooperation and collaboration. Dr. Arvind Gupta, Director, VIF gave the welcome address.
A seminar was organised on the above topic on May 16, 2019 at the Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi. It was a sequel to ongoing discussions on the need for greater impetus on the shipping, ship-ownership and shipbuilding sector of India. Concept Note
Recognising that stability and security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is extremely important for peace, prosperity and sustainable development of the international society, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) Japan, SPF USA, National Security College (NSC) Australia and Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) India had together formed the Quadripartite Commission on the Indian Ocean Security. Consequently, international conferences were convened in February 2017 and 2018 at New Delhi and Tokyo respectively. This was preceded by a seminar in Washington DC in April 2016.
Preface At the outset, this monograph has sought to resolve the ambiguities in comprehending the oft-used phrase ‘maritime power’. It has established that constituents are those permanent attributes which make a country easier or harder to be at sea. On the other hand enablers of maritime power are its potentials. Thus, long coastline is a constituent and the fishing industry that spawns on the coast is an enabler.
.... Traditionally, security at sea has been theorised and interpreted rooted in traditional realist or liberalist theories. In the realist interpretation, the seas are the plains on which superpower, or regional power rivalry, takes place, whereas realist debates have been focused on increasing investments in navies by emerging powers and territorial disputes to consolidate claims on offshore resources.
On 9th April 2018, The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) held a round table discussion on India’s security concerns in the Indo-Pacific. The panelists were Ambassador Rajiv Sikri, Ambassador Kanwal Sibal and Captain Gurpreet Khurana.