Vivekananda International Foundation | Seeking Harmony in Diversity

Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Rajesh Isser, AVSM,VM (G)

Covid-19 was a predictable and avoidable event, if the world had been more transparent and accountable, and less greedy and ambitious. It is important to analyse fast-evolving international developments, thoughts and trends to grasp the choices and imperatives ahead. What India needs to do, both internally and externally, may be assisted by examining extreme scenarios of a post-Covid world and a net-assessment covering variables such as geopolitical compulsions, examining ‘Pax-Sinica’ and its economic and security implications, and trends affecting globalisation and multilateralism.

June 02, 2020 Paper

European Union’s post COVID-19 Trajectory- the Challenges Ahead

The European Union (EU) has faced a series of crises in the last decade which have tested its resilience as a supranational entity based on solidarity and common values. Since several of its internal issues remain unresolved, the EU would now have to deal with them amid new disruptions brought upon by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The EU’s handling of the ongoing pandemic has already been under the scanner owing to its failure to come up with a concerted action in the initial stage of the COVID-19 outbreak.

May 29, 2020 Event Report

Interaction with H.E. Mr. Emanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France

The heath crisis brought upon by the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has opened up a pandora’s box of crises worldwide. As different countries reel under the economic recession and related socio-political challenges, the still ongoing pandemic has reinforced the existing trends in global geopolitics. Foremost among this is the debate over nationalism versus globalism and great power rivalry. As the Covid-19 spread and country wise response has demonstrated, even the strongest advocates of internationalism were forced to look inwards while dealing with the crisis.

May 28, 2020 Event Report

Great Game East: India, China and the Struggle for Asia’s Most Volatile Frontier by Bertil Linter, Publishers: Yale University Press, New Haven & London, 2015

Dr Cchavi Vasisht

Arthur Conolly, an intelligence officer of British East India Company, conceived the expression “great game” to define the strategic rivalry between the British and the Russian empires to acquire supremacy in Central Asia. It was further used to define rivalries between the United States and other Western powers vis-a-vis Russia and China over usage of Central Asia’s resources. Bertil Linter, in his book, contextualised the expression ‘Great Game’ for Asia, existing at the crossroads of the Indian Subcontinent, China and Southeast Asia.

May 26, 2020 Books/Book Review

India’s Ocean- The story of India’s bid for regional leadership by David Brewster, New York: Routledge, 2014. pp228. ISBN- 978-0-415-52059-1

Amruta Karambelkar

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.

May 19, 2020 Books/Book Review

VIF Presentation cum discussions on West Asia

The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organised two sets of interactive discussions on the impact of COVID-19 in West Asia and its implications on India. On 7 May 2020, Amb. D P Srivastava Distinguished Fellow, VIF spoke on the topic, “Geopolitics and Return of Indian workers from the Gulf”. On 12 May 2020 Amb. Anil Trigunayat Distinguished Fellow, VIF spoke on the subject, “Developments in West Asia and impact on India”. Dr.

May 18, 2020 Event Report

India’s Foreign Policy: Surviving in a Turbulent World

Amb Anil Wadhwa, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Arvind Gupta, Director, VIF

Written by foreign policy experts, academics and practioners, this book develops the frameworks and strategies for India’s foreign policy that can be adopted to meet the emerging challenges and non-traditional threats in the new world order. It studies the important aspects of India’s foreign policy in the present unsettled world order and comes up with strategies and policy suggestions. It raises several questions to highlight the future direction of foreign policy and the challenges that India may have to deal with in the coming years.

May 14, 2020 Books/Book Review

From Third World to First -The Singapore Story: 1965-2000. First Edition. By Lee Kuan Yew. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2000. 729 pp. ISBN 0-06-019776-5.

PK Khup Hangzo, Associate Fellow, VIF

Singapore has been called the 20th century’s “most successful development story” and is considered a model for economic development. Its stunning economic transformation has been described as a “miracle” and have been the subject of numerous analysis by scholars and governments worldwide. Given this, it is easy to forget how improbable Singapore’s chances of survival had been at the outset. Although many books and articles have been written about the city-state’s economic transformation, From Third World to First, published in 2000 remained the quintessential book on the subject.

May 12, 2020 Books/Book Review

Interaction on the Armenian Genocide: History and Perspective

The Vivekananda International Foundation organised a virtual interactive session on the subject, “Armenian Genocide: History and Perspective” on 24 April 2020. Dr Arvind Gupta, Director, VIF delivered his opening remarks highlighting the relevance of history to understand the current geopolitics of Armenia, Turkey and the region in general. The Director, VIF posed question on the recurrence of genocide in the present period and conflicting interpretations about the genocide that occured between 1915 and 1924. Amb. Armen Martirosyan, Armenian Ambassador to India; Dr.

May 12, 2020 Event Report

Preparing for A Post-Corona World

Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Rajesh Isser, AVSM,VM (G)

The Novel Coronavirus has not only taken over the year 2020, it will have ramifications for decades to come. Changes to societal norms and developmental priorities, and de-globalisation forces gaining momentum are just some of the expected uncertainties on the anvil. This paper explores a myriad of effects and issues related to this history-changing moment in our times.

April 23, 2020 Paper