HOME
Services
 
 
 
 
Exclusive   Analysis   Report   Special Report  
 
Will Rouhani be able to change
 the game?
The challenge for Iran's President-elect Dr. Hassan Rouhani lies in not only appeasing the highest echelons of country's clergy, but also securing results for an economy that is on the brink of collapse.
  more analysis>>
 
Report
 
North Korean Army should not be under-estimated
19 June 2013
North Korean army, which is the fifth largest in the world with a very high artillery pile, should not to be under-estimated, according a former Indian military intelligence official.
 
Deuba for joint approach with India to exploit Nepal's huge hydro potential
17 June 2013
Nepal's former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has stressed on the need to develop "a joint approach" with India to exploit the huge hydro power potential of the country. He said Nepal has the potential of generating over one lakh megawatts of power.
 
Defeat Naxalism, and not Naxalites
12 June 2013
A former military expert, who had served in the Red Corridor areas, has suggested a strategy of "conversion rather than destruction" that focused on "defeating Naxalism and not Naxalites" to defeat rising left wing extremism in the country.
  more >>
Analysis
 
New northern sea route could alter equations
18 June 2013
Vikram Sood
Once the northern sea route from Europe to China becomes active, the strategic balance between the Indian and Arctic Oceans could change. Would this change be enough to mean easier or cheaper availability of oil and gas from West Asia to Europe, China and India?
 
NeGP: Much ground covered, much remains to be covered
18 June 2013
R. Swaminathan
The National electronic Governance Plan (NeGP) has more or less got all the right ingredients. It just needs to be mixed in the right proportions.
 
Nepal: With CA polls on Nov 19, it is time for all political actors to unite for large cause
17 June 2013
Akanshya Shah
The India-Japan partnership has matured into an important component of the new security and economic architecture of the Indo-Pacific region. For a long time, the partnership was centered on economic matters. But it has diversified to cover a wide spectrum of interests including security, counter terrorism, sea-lanes.
 
Citizens paying for private sector inefficiency
17 June 2013
Geethanjali Natraj and Rohit Sinha
Privatised electricity distribution in Delhi completed ten years last June. Now an important question which we have to ask time and again is, why should the citizens pay for the inefficiency of the distribution companies? This is yet another public service that has become a score point for political parties, giving no relief to the ordinary citizen.
 
Moving towards a stronger India-Japan partnership
17 June 2013
K.V. Kesavan
The India-Japan partnership has matured into an important component of the new security and economic architecture of the Indo-Pacific region. For a long time, the partnership was centered on economic matters. But it has diversified to cover a wide spectrum of interests including security, counter terrorism, sea-lanes.
  more >>
China Weekly Report
 
India awaiting China's response on draft border agreement
17 June 2013
Vol III, Issue 23
Sources within the Indian government say India is still awaiting China's response to its draft of a border defence cooperation agreement. The proposal for a new border cooperation agreement was put forth by China's Defence Minister Liang Guanglie during his visit to India in September 2012.
  more >>
China Military Watch
 
Conflicts should be solved through dialogues: PLA Deputy Chief
17 June 2013
Vol II, Issue 12
Gen. Qi Jianguo, the deputy chief of the PLA stated that dialogue is the only way out in resolving the ongoing disputes. "We have always held that conflicts and disputes should be properly solved through dialogues, consultations and peaceful negotiations," he said during the Shangri-La dialogue.
  more >>
Africa Weekly Report
 
Paying and fighting for unity
14 June 2013
Vol III, Issue 17
The African Union took some tentative steps at its 50th anniversary summit on 25-26 May to end what AU Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma called the organisation's unsustainable financial dependence on foreign (mainly Western) governments.
  more >>
South Asia Weekly Report
 
Sri Lanka: Need to revisit past positions on ethnic front
8 June 2013 - 14 June 2013
N Sathiya Moorthy
Vol VI, Issue 24
Reports that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leadership is in Delhi this week for an exchange of views with the Indian leadership should be utilised by both sides to review their known positions on 13-A, and should not stop with reiterating the same.
Country Reports: 
Afghanistan | Bangladesh | Bhutan | India | Maldives | Myanmar | Nepal | Pakistan | SriLanka
  more >>
Energy News Monitor
 
$150 Oil Comes Back by the Backdoor
14 June 2013
Vol IX, Issue 52
The rise in oil imports led to a sharp deterioration of the trade account which was already under pressure on account of the fall of the Soviet Union which was India's important trading partners.
  more >>
West Asia Monitor
 
Iraqi PM makes rare visit to Kurdish north
12 June 2013
Vol I, Issue 3
Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki led a landmark cabinet meeting in the country's Kurdish region, in an effort to diffuse tensions between Kurds and the central government, a dispute that is the biggest threat to Iraq's stability.
  more >>
Space Alert
 
India to have five rocket launches, including Mars mission, in 2013
1 June 2013
Vol I, Issue 6
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that it intends to carry out a total of five rocket launches in 2013 from its launch pad in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, which will include a mission to Mars.
  more >>
South China Sea Monitor
 
Taiwan-Philippines Dispute
1 June 2013
Vol II, Issue 6
On May 9, 2013, a Taiwanese fishing vessel Guang Da Xing No. 28 was shot at by a Filipino government vessel resulting in the death of Taiwanese fisherman Hong Shei-cheng.
  more >>
Issue Brief
 
CBR Security in India: Threat Analysis and Role of Industries
June 2013
Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan and Rahul Prakash
Issue No. 53
This paper examines the current state of security and safety of chemical, biological, radiological (CBR) materials in India's industrial sector, with particular focus on small and medium-sized industries. It argues that an integrated approach that includes prevention, mitigation and response is required to meet the nation?s CBR related security challenges.
 
India's Developing International Role
June 2013
Gareth Price
Issue No. 52
India's growing stature in international politics has encouraged Indian policy makers to take a more active role in delivering key global and regional 'public goods' such as poverty reduction, combating the impact of climate change and contributing to global growth. This paper analyses India's economic and security related engagement with nations across the globe.
  more >>
ORF Seminar Series
 
Regional Energy Cooperation: Accessing and Developing Hydrocarbon Resources in South Asia
31 May 2013

Edited Proceedings of the 11th Petro India Conference organised by India Energy Forum and Observer Research Foundation.
  more >>
Occasional Paper
 
Community Driven Development in Developing Countries
May 2013
Abhilaksh Likhi
Issue No. 41
This paper highlights the increasing importance of Community Driven Development (CDD) in the delivery of public services to the poorest sections and enhancing access, voice and accountability in developing countries.
 
Sino-Indian Border Infrastructure: An Update
May 2013
Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan. Rahul Prakash
Issue No. 42
Improved infrastructure has a critical role in enabling a nation to apply military power. On the India-China border, there is a clear military imbalance-not just in terms of equipment and forces on the border but also in terms of the physical infrastructure.
more >>
 
Annual Report
 
Annual Report 2012



Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is an endeavour to aid and influence formulation of policies for building a strong and prosperous India. The expectations of the global community from India are immense as the country is poised to play a leading role in the knowledge age. The Foundation believes that in the next 15 years, India will be one of the great economic powers in the world and contribute to a significant transformation in the quality of life of humanity.
  more >>

 

 
 



  

  
 
Events
 

(BY INVITATION ONLY)

Talk on

"US-China Partnership and Global Economic Order: Implications for India"
by Dr. Arvind Subramanian.
Friday, 21 June 2013
(10:30 AM To 12:30 PM)
Venue: ORF-Delhi, Conference Hall

 


(BY INVITATION ONLY)

Visit of

"Australian Delegation at ORF Campus."

Monday, 24 June 2013
(3:00 PM To 5:00 PM)
Venue: ORF Delhi, Conference Hall

 


(BY INVITATION ONLY)

Discussion on

"Developments in South West Asia"

Tuesday, 25 June 2013
(3:00 PM To 5:00 PM)
Venue: ORF Delhi

 


(BY INVITATION ONLY)

Discussion on

"Naxalism"

Friday, 28 June 2013
(11:00 AM To 1:30 PM)
Venue: ORF Delhi, Conference Hall

 


(BY INVITATION ONLY)

Third ORF-GIZ Urban Workshopon

"Affordable and Liveable Housing for the Migrants and Urban Poor"

Thursday, 25 July 2013
(10:30 PM To 1:30 PM)
Venue: ORF Delhi, Conference Hall

 


(BY INVITATION ONLY)

Conference on

'EU as a Security Actor in Asia'
26-27 September 2013
(10:00 AM To 6:00 PM)
Venue: ORF-Delhi, Conference Hall

 


(BY INVITATION ONLY)

Meeting on

'Internal project planning meetings between PRIO, Norway and ORF staff '
6-7 November 2013
(10:00 AM To 5:00 PM)
Venue: ORF-Delhi

 


(BY INVITATION ONLY)

Conference on

'Asian Forum on Global Governance'
10-20 November 2013
(10:00 AM To 6:00 PM)
Venue: The Oberoi, New Delhi

 


(BY INVITATION ONLY)

'ORF-Stanley Dialogue '
10-20 November 2013
(10:00 AM To 5:00 PM)
Venue: ORF-Delhi, Conference Hall

 




  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 
Energy/Coal/Power
$ 150 Oil Comes Back by the Backdoor
11 June 2013
Lydia Powell

This column has maintained that India's most immediate energy security challenge is its exposure to oil price volatility and not Chinese oil companies buying up hydrocarbon assets around the world.

 
Dirty coal must remain in the dirty hands of the government: Lessons from China
11 June 2013
Ashish Gupta

Coal India's inability to increase coal production to keep pace with the demand coming from the power sector is giving opportunity for wagging tongues from the entire crony-capitalist 'reformers' to ask for opening the doors of the coal sector.

more >>
 
International
New northern sea route could alter equations
18 June 2013
Vikram Sood

Once the northern sea route from Europe to China becomes active, the strategic balance between the Indian and Arctic Oceans could change.

 
Obama-Xi talks: Trouble for BASIC?
13 June 2013
Uma Purushothaman

At the Obama- Xi talks, there has been some movement forward on the so-far intractable issue of Hydroflurocarbon (HFCs) emissions.

more >>
 
National
NeGP: Much ground covered, much remains to be covered
18 June 2013
R. Swaminathan

The National electronic Governance Plan (NeGP) has more or less got all the right ingredients. It just needs to be mixed in the right proportions.

 
Citizens paying for private sector inefficiency
17 June 2013
Geethanjali Natraj and Rohit Sinha

Privatised electricity distribution in Delhi completed ten years last June. Now an important question which we have to ask time and again is,

more >>
 
Security
No need to fear even if Taliban comes back to power
11 June 2013
Brig Deepak Sinha (Retd)

India's apprehensions about Taliban are far from reality. The US experience will ensure that Afghanistan can never again become a training area or launch pad for fundamentalist forces. Drones and the vast array of other options available to the US preclude this.

 
International Space Code: EU needs to be patient
07 June 2013
Dr. Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan

The EU, having taken the lead in initiating the international space code, must be patient in taking it to a meaningful conclusion.

more >>
 
Japan
Moving towards a stronger India-Japan partnership
17 June 2013
K.V. Kesavan

The India-Japan partnership has matured into an important component of the new security and economic architecture of the Indo-Pacific region. For a long time, the partnership was centered on economic matters.

 
Japanese assistance drives Indian growth
07 June 2013
Rohit Sinha and Geethanjali Nataraj

Japanese ODA has eased the burden of borrowing in the Indian market. Moreover, with the Japanese economy still struggling to induce growth, investments in India offer an avenue to earn interest income.

more >>