Presently he is a Distinguished Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation. He was the Indian Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran (2011-15). During his tenure, he led negotiations on Indian Participation in Chabahar Port. In the past, he has served as Indian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Libya and India’s High Commissioner to Malta. He joined Indian Foreign Services in 1978. After retirement, he served as Senior Advisor to ONGC Videsh Ltd (2015-16). He also served as an Independent Director on the Board of GAIL (2017-20). He negotiated the MOU with Iran for Indian participation in Chabahar Port and has served on the Board of Directors of India Ports Global Ltd, the company under the Shipping Ministry charged with the development of Chabahar Port.

Contributions 
United Nations in a World of Crises The 78th session of the United Nations opened amidst a deepening sense of crisis. The UN Secretary-General said that the ‘world is becoming unhinged.’ [1] The UNGA President ...

President Biden’s Visit to India, G-20 Summit, and Changing Contours of World Politics Delhi Declaration adopted by G-20 countries has been welcomed by all sides. No less important were a number of bilateral engagements that took place between India and some of the participating countries. They reflect the changing contours of world po...

Kerry’s Visit to China, Climate Change and India’s Energy Transition Climate change has resulted in the heat wave sweeping the northern hemisphere from the US, Europe, and China to South Korea. India witnessed heavy rains. The UN Secretary-General stated that “The era of global warming has ended; the era of globa...

Imran Khan’s Arrest and Deepening Political Uncertainties in Pakistan Imran Khan’s arrest in the Toshakhana case has removed him from the electoral math for five years. Though he will appeal, the process will take time. He was convicted for not declaring a gift received from an Arab prince which should have been hand...

Prime Minister Modi’s Visit to Egypt Prime Minister Modi concluded a two-day visit to Egypt on 24-25th June. The last visit at the prime minister’s level from India to that country took place 26 years ago in 1997. The visit is an important initiative to fill up the hiatus in engagemen...

Book Published / Book Reviews 
Book Review: ‘A Life Well Spent: Four Decades in the Indian Foreign Service’; Amb. Satish Chandra, Roopa Publications, 2023, ISBN: 9357020950, pp. 284, Rs 636 The book by Ambassador Satish Chandra covers four decades he served in the Indian Foreign Service from 1965 to 2005. The book is not simply an account of his personal journey. It provides a glimpse into the making of foreign policy. It also covers In...

VIF Briefs 
Pakistan: Nuclear Deterrence and Ideology The nuclear age coincided with the advent of the Cold War. The concept of deterrence evolved in the background of ideological divide. However, both sides kept nuclear deterrence insulated from ideological considerations. This pragmatism was born out ...

Event Reports 
Release of the Interim Report of the VIF Task Force on ‘India’s Energy Transition in a Carbon-Constrained World: The Role of Nuclear Power’ by Gurumurthy Ji, Chairman, VIF Shri Gurumurthy Ji, Chairman VIF made a virtual release of the Interim Report of the VIF Task Force on “India’s Energy Transition in a Carbon-Constrained World: The Role of Nuclear Power” at a function hosted by the Vivekananda International Fo...

Release of ‘Forgotten Kashmir: The Other Side of the Line of Control’ by Shri Manoj Sinha, Lt. Governor of Union Territory of J&K Shri Manoj Sinha, Lt. Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir released ‘Forgotten Kashmir: The Other Side of the Line of Kashmir’ in a virtual event on 18th March 2021. The book has been published by Harper Collins. Its author Ambass...

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