Vivekananda International Foundation

Dr. Shambhavi Anand, in her article for VIF India, “Sudan’s Fourth Year of War: Understanding the Crisis”, highlights the political, economic and geopolitical factors driving Sudan’s prolonged civil war, which continue to deepen the humanitarian crisis.

https://www.vifindia.org/article/2026/may/18/Sudan-s-Fourth-Year-of-War-Understanding-the-Crisis

Brig. (Dr.) Ashok Pathak (Retd.) presents an interesting viewpoint: Can protracted conflicts ironically pave the way for future peace in West Asia? He contends that if one is looking for signs of future peace and stability in West Asia as a fallout of the current hyperbole, then the search will have to be beyond the battlefields. Non-military factors need to be analysed.
As he notes, “The events on the battlefields at best can be catalyst for peace.”

Peace in West Asia in the wake of Iran-Israel conflict Alfred Thayer Mahan- a US naval officer is credited to have named the region as West Asia in 1905- which was earlier known as part of Middle East (Middle East was a term coined by the British who divided the world as per the distance from Great Britain). [1], [2] The region has been in constant turm...

Ahead of the 3rd India–Nordic Summit in Oslo, VIF releases a new Policy Brief by Bisen on the growing strategic importance of ’s engagement with the countries across the Arctic, maritime, technology, energy, defence, and investment domains.

The Nordic countries — Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden - have exercised an influence in Arctic affairs disproportionate to their size, shaping Arctic governance, sustainability, scientific cooperation, and the rules-based Arctic order through institutions such as the Arctic Council.
The Policy Brief argues that India’s Arctic engagement must move beyond scientific presence alone towards deeper strategic cooperation with the Nordic states in six key sectors:
⚓ Shipbuilding
🛰️ Space
🌊 Environment
♨️ Clean Energy
💰 Investments
🛡️ Defence
⚓ SHIPBUILDING
Nordic expertise in ice-class ship design, green shipping, and maritime technologies can complement India’s large shipbuilding capacity. The Brief recommends partnerships with Nordic firms for indigenous Polar Research Vessels, LNG/LPG carriers, Arctic-capable vessels, and green shipping corridors.
🛰️ SPACE
India should explore establishing Arctic satellite downlink capabilities through Sweden’s Kiruna space infrastructure to strengthen weather forecasting, monsoon prediction, agricultural planning, and disaster early warning systems, while expanding India’s space diplomacy across the Global South.
🌊 ENVIRONMENT
Norway’s globally recognised Marine Spatial Planning model offers important lessons for managing India’s sensitive coastal ecosystems, including Lakshadweep, the Sundarbans, and the Gulf of Mannar, while supporting sustainable Blue Economy development and pollution control.
♨️ CLEAN ENERGY
India–Iceland cooperation in geothermal energy and Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) could support India’s clean energy transition, particularly through geothermal pilot projects in Ladakh and carbon sequestration initiatives linked to the Deccan Traps basalt formations.
💰 INVESTMENTS
Nordic sovereign wealth and pension funds managing over USD 2 trillion are increasingly investing in green infrastructure and sustainable technologies. India should establish dedicated India–Nordic investment platforms for green ports, offshore wind, shipbuilding, hydrogen, and resilient Arctic supply chains.
🛡️ DEFENCE
The Brief recommends structured engagement with NORDEFCO through anti-submarine warfare cooperation, cold-weather training, Arctic familiarisation deployments, and naval exercises, while also proposing the establishment of a dedicated defence wing in Oslo accredited to all Nordic countries.
As India expands its Arctic footprint, partnerships with the Nordic countries can help strengthen India’s maritime security, technological capabilities, clean energy transition, resilient supply chains, and long-term strategic presence in the Arctic region.

Read the full Brief here: https://www.vifindia.org/brief/2026/may/recommendations-for-the-india-nordic-summit

“The world today is, regrettably, bereft of order and is, in fact, plunged in disorder verging on anarchy and much uncertainty.”
Amb. Satish Chandra in his piece, reflects on a world which today is marked by conflict, technological disruption and institutional disorder. He reckons that India is most likely to play a more proactive and constructive role. From championing the Global South to advocating for peace, climate action and multipolar engagement, in this unpredictable global order.

India’s Role in The World Today Any projection of the trajectory of India’s role in the world in the coming times demands first, an understanding of the current state of the world, and second, an awareness of the factors that are likely to influence its role.

Neighbourhood News Digest – 15 May 2026.
https://www.vifindia.org/2026/may/15/vif-neighbourhood-news-digest

“One morning in April 1992, a rocket hit our building, and several little children playing in the playground lost their lives.”

Ms. Bilquees Daud in, “Kabul to Pahalgam: A Journey of Pain and Loss” reflects on how the pain of terror transcends borders. Through personal accounts and memories of war and loss, the piece serves as a poignant reminder, that violence leaves the same scars regardless of religion or nationality.

“Humanity transcends all forms of differences, whether they are linguistic, racial, cultural, gender-based, or religious.”

Kabul to Pahalgam: A Journey of Pain and Loss Kashmir, often dubbed as "heaven on earth," is soaked in blood as terrorists killed 26 innocent tourists in Pahalgam. Hearing this news, devastated me. I can innately relate to the families who were subjected to the horror of losing their loved ones in front of their eyes. Kabul, once referred to as...

Air Marshal Diptendu Choudhury (Retd) reviews “The Silent Enemy: Non-Traditional Challenges to National Security” by Dr. Arvind Gupta and Mr. Rajesh Singh, as a timely reminder that national security goes far beyond the battlefield. It ranges from climate change and terrorism to cyber threats, health and water, and economic vulnerabilities. This book maps the “silent” risks shaping India’s future.

“A must read for all Indians - to know, recognize and act against the Silent Enemy.”

The Silent Enemy: Non-Traditional Challenges to National Security; Authors: Dr Arvind Gupta & Rajesh Singh, ink, pp.472, ISBN-13: 9789365479485; Rs.899 In a world where security of a state has been traditionally associated with the military instrument of power, The Silent Enemy as the name of the book suggests, breaks the mold by bringing to the fore an array of serious challenges which impact a nation’s future.

"While Op Parakaram was all about coercive diplomacy and 26/11 Mumbai attacks of diplomacy, surgical strikes of 2016 and Balakot Strike of 2019 had retributive character. Their efficacy in deterring Pakistan from sponsoring terror were limited. In Op Sindoor, India attempted to establish deterrence both by punishment and denial."

Lt Gen (Dr) Rakesh Sharma (Retd) writes that OP Sindoor demonstrated India's calibrated use of force, escalation control and a new doctrine where acts of terror are treated as acts of war.

Op Sindoor: The Strategy of ‘Strategic Success’ Wars are ageless and can indeed begin unannounced, as was proven in India-Pakistan context. On 22 April 2025, it could not be predicted that on 07 May, there would commence a modern shooting war. Four days of calibrated military action followed an understanding arrived at, on 10 May between DGsMO, I...

The reported damage to Iran’s cultural heritage during the ongoing conflict underscores the growing vulnerability of civilisational sites in modern warfare. Historic monuments, museums, and religious structures are not merely national assets, but repositories of collective human memory and identity. The situation raises urgent questions regarding the effectiveness of international humanitarian law and the protection of cultural property during armed conflict. In his commentary, Saudiptendu Ray examines the broader implications of these developments for global heritage preservation, cultural diplomacy, and the safeguarding of shared civilisational heritage in conflict zones.

Damage to Iranian Cultural Heritage On February 28, 2026, the United States launched a series of missile attacks on various locations in Iran,[1] with the aim of forcing regime change and permanently dismantling Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes.[2] The United States had already hit more than 13,000 targets in Iran by the second...