Arunansh B. Goswami, Visiting Fellow at the Orbeli Center

T his article examines the possibilities of wider engagement of Armenian think tanks with the top three government and private think tanks in India. The pillars of collaboration considered for analyses are geopolitics, climate change, economy, science and culture. In this article, the author delves into the constructive role think tanks can play in catalyzing the establishment of durable peace with mutually acceptable terms in the South Caucasus. India, being a vibrant democracy, has a thriving culture of ideation and debate thanks to the several think tanks and research centers operating out of this country and an independent judiciary ensuring their healthy existence. The vibrant think tank community in India offers a great opportunity for cooperation with think tanks operating out of friendly countries.

Think tanks, irrespective of the fact that they are state-sponsored or privately funded in India, are influenced substantially by the ideology of their main patrons and sponsors. Therefore, any initiation of dialogue for cooperation must be preceded by an in-depth study of the ideological predisposition and Weltanschauung of the primary sponsors of the prospective partner think tanks. Amongst the prominent government-related think tanks in India, the National Institute of Transforming India Aayog (NITI Aayog), Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), and Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) have great importance from a South Caucasian perspective. All government think tanks (also private think tanks) have seen over the years an increase in the influence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent organization of the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party, that subscribes to the ideology of “cultural nationalism.” This influence can be seen in their publications and events. The good news for Armenian think tanks is that the RSS has been quite favorable to strengthening relations with countries like Armenia, Greece, and the Republic of Cyprus to counter the “Pan-Islamism” being promoted by Ankara.

Government Related Think Tanks: Avenues for Collaboration

National Institution for Transforming India Aayog (NITI Aayog)

F or economy, science and climate change as pillars of collaboration, NITI Aayog should be a top choice for Armenian think tanks. India has had a long history of socialist planning. Under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government decided to leave the “planning model” and move towards the “collaborative governance” model, alternatively known as the “Team India” model, that is inspired by the vision statement of Mr. Modi, “maximum governance minimum government,” and hence NITI Aayog was formed via a resolution of the Union Cabinet on 1 January 2015. The chairperson of the NITI Aayog is the Hon’ble Prime Minister himself. The reports prepared by this think tank and its policy prescriptions influence governance in India at national, state, and local levels.

NITI Aayog has several verticals, with the primary focus being on “good governance.” Both India and Armenia are developing countries that have substantially similar developmental challenges, including poverty. In governance, they have a lot to learn from each other. A key initiative of the think tank is “NITI Lectures,” which aim to bring international policymakers, academics, experts, and administrators to India to discuss their experience in development and good governance. Armenian think tanks can participate in these “NITI Lectures” and can organize “knowledge sharing and capacity building” conferences with NITI Aayog that will help in enhancing the knowledge of policy makers and implementers in both countries with respect to “governance and developmental best practices” in both India and Armenia, from education promotion to poverty alleviation.

Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA)

I CWA, established in 1943, is an important think tank from an Armenian perspective, primarily for geopolitics as pillar of collaboration. The Hon'ble Vice President of India is the ex-officio President of the ICWA. The Indian Council of World Affairs Act, 2001 lays down the objectives of the ICWA according to Section 13(f). One of the objectives of the ICWA is “to arrange conferences and seminars to discuss and study the Indian policy towards international affairs,” and the ICWA has cooperation agreements and MoUs with 57 think tanks and research institutions around the world, including with two think tanks from Türkiye, the Centre for Strategic Research of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, and the Turkish Asian Centre for Strategic Studies (TASAM), Türkiye, but no MoU with any South Caucasian country (Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan). Like the “NITI Lectures” that focus on good governance, “Sapru House Lectures” are organized by ICWA primarily on “international affairs.” Armenian think tanks should expand their collaboration with ICWA, preferably by signing MoUs, to both learn about the changes in India’s policy towards international affairs and also to put forward convincing points to the strategic community in India about the advantages India has by strengthening relations with Armenia.

Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR)

F or culture as a pillar of collaboration, ICCR is a great think tank. Established in 1950, the Memorandum of Association of ICCR includes in clause 3 the "Objects,” which include “to foster, revive, and strengthen cultural relations between India and other countries.” The Ministry of External Affairs assumed administrative and operational control of the Council in 1970-71 with a view to making the Council an effective instrument of India's foreign policy. With the coming of the Bhartiya Janta Party in power and the ouster of the Indian National Congress, the perspective of the ICCR has changed too and is more aligned to the “cultural nationalism” of the ruling party that is beneficial for Armenia. ICCR runs the Distinguished Visitors Program (DVP), where leading representatives of think tanks and cultural institutions are also invited to share their insight and experiences and to meet Indian leaders in their area of expertise, as well as obtain a first-hand view of developments in India. Armenia, as an ancient civilization turned nation-state with several millennia-old cultural relations with India, can benefit a lot from DVP. Events on the life and legacy of Indian Armenians like, Hakob Petrosyan and Shahamir Shahamirian may be organized by Armenian think tanks with the support of ICCR.

Private Think Tanks: Avenue for Collaboration

Observer Research Foundation

T he Observer Research Foundation that has emerged as a premier private think tank in international relations in India, its especially important for economy, science and climate change as pillars of collaboration. It started, according to its founder chairman, Rishi Kumar Mishra (a journalist), with the support of founder of Reliance Industries, Dhirubhai Ambani, a visionary Gujarati businessman. In an exclusive interview with Senior Editor Sheela Bhatt of Rediff News, Mr. Mishra said, “I told him (Dhirubhai Ambani) I need resources. He called (his son) Mukesh (Ambani) and told him, let me build a world-class think tank. Later, when I went to the US, then Indian ambassador to America Lalit Mansingh convened a meeting of 25 American think tanks. I proposed that ORF is looking forward to joint intellectual research ventures and not money. This I could do because Dhirubhai was behind me.”
ORF has emerged as a prominent think tank in India and helps organize several forums like the Raisina Dialogue and has also recently helped organized the Yerevan Dialogue with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia. ORF has shown its competence in organizing large conclaves efficiently, and from an Armenian perspective, their expertise in the same can be utilized for events other than the Yerevan Dialogue organized by think tanks in Armenia. ORF has several publications and a blog that can be utilized by Armenian think tanks to put forward Armenian perspectives on international affairs.

Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF)

V ivekananda International Foundation is one of the prominent private think tanks that has close ideological relations with the RSS. For culture and geopolitics as pillars of collaboration this think tank is especially important. VIF was set up with the collaborative efforts of India's leading security experts, diplomats, industrialists, and philanthropists under the aegis of the Vivekananda Kendra. The founder of Vivekananda Kendra, Mr. Eknath Ranade, joined the RSS full time as a member in 1938, and in 1956 he was given the charge of General Secretary of the RSS. Because of the connection with the ideology of the RSS, the ideological parent body of the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party, VIF has a profound influence on the current Indian government. Armenian think tanks should try and increase their outreach to VIF because, even though it is a private think tank, it has a profound impact on India’s defense policies. It has organized several conferences, like the India-Africa Roundtable on Science and Technology. A similar conference primarily focusing on “durable peace with mutually acceptable terms in the South Caucasus” can be organized by Armenian think tanks and the VIF.

India Foundation (IF)

I ndia Foundation is another prominent think tank in India close to the RSS. It is especially important for geopolitical and culture as pillars of collaboration. The President of the “India Foundation” think tank is Dr. Ram Madhav, who has served as the National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during 2014-20. His association with the RSS began as a teenager. He volunteered to be a full-time worker for RSS in 1981. He was assigned to several key positions in the organization. The BJP appointed him as co-in-charge of the Jammu and Kashmir polls, alongside G. Kishan Reddy, marking the first assembly election in the region since the abrogation of Article 370. Members of Armenian think tanks may contribute to the “India Foundation Journal” and can also work with IF to organize sector and industry specific conferences, from steel to space so on and so forth.

Conclusion

I t will be productive, if Armenian think tanks will diversify their outreach to think tanks in India; in-depth research on the special competencies and ideological inclinations of different think tanks should precede outreach. The relevance of think tanks changes over time with regime change. Currently the Bhartiya Janta Party is in power, which helps think tanks associated with or appreciative of its ideology have more influence in the strategic community, but if the main opposition Indian National Congress comes to power, this may change. It is clear that the “cultural nationalism” of the BJP and the think tanks that appreciate it are beneficial to Armenian interests. The Indian National Congress has over the years promoted pro-Turkish individuals to positions of power and strategic influence. Congress leader Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was made the first Education Minister of India and the President of ICCR. In this case, the leading Armenian think tanks can focus on signing MoUs with prominent think tanks in India for collaboration, with whom no MoU has been signed so far (like ICWA). University Think tanks can also increase their outreach to faculties and centers in excellent universities in India. It's important for Armenian think tanks to reach out to Indian students for a long-term impact. More Indian scholars need to be invited to Armenia and explained about both developmental and geopolitical challenges that the country faces. Yerevan Dialogue has shown the benefit of collaboration between an Indian think tank and Armenian government; it's important that scholars and intellectuals continue the process of strengthening India-Armenia friendship.