Observer Research Foundation

What Observer Research Foundation does

Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is an independent, non-partisan Indian think tank founded in 1990 and headquartered in New Delhi, with 101-250 employees and operational offices in Kolkata, Mumbai, New York (ORF America), and Abu Dhabi (ORF Middle East). The organization conducts policy research and analysis across international relations, geopolitics, economics, security, technology, climate, and urban development, serving government policymakers, academics, corporate sector stakeholders, and media. Its core offerings are organized into three layers: a long-form publication ecosystem (9,900+ Expert Speak articles, 936+ Issue Briefs, 559+ Occasional Papers, 466+ Special Reports, 268+ Books and Monographs, 1,738+ Monitor publications), specialized research centres and programmes (Centre for Security, Strategy & Technology, Centre for New Economic Diplomacy, Strategic Studies Programme, Energy and Climate Change, Economy and Growth, Inclusive Growth and SDGs, Urban Studies), and a convening portfolio anchored by the Raisina Dialogue—India's premier geopolitical conference now in its 11th edition. Additional forums include the BRICS Think Tanks Council, Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue, Yerevan Dialogue, Cape Town Conversation, and Innovation Island Summit, with multilingual content in Hindi, Marathi, and Bengali.

Name

Observer Research Foundation

Legal name

Observer Research Foundation

Website

https://orfonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Observer Research Foundation is an independent Indian think tank conducting policy research on geopolitics, economics, security, and technology, serving government, academia, and industry through publications, research centres, and flagship forums including the Raisina Dialogue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Think Tank Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), International Affairs (928120), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF), Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA), Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Geopolitical analysis
• Foreign policy advisory
• International relations research
• Think tank forums

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Publications and Reports: ORF generates revenue through sale of research publications, special reports, and policy briefs to governments, institutions, and organizations
2. Event Sponsorships and Partnerships: Flagship events like Raisina Dialogue attract corporate sponsorships and institutional partnerships from Indian and international organizations
3. Institutional Grants and Collaborations: ORF receives funding from various institutional partners including government ministries, international organizations, and private sector for specific research initiatives

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Observer Research Foundation is an independent, non-partisan think tank that produces policy research and analysis on international affairs, geopolitics, geoeconomics, security, technology, climate, and economic policy. Its core offerings comprise long-form research publications (Issue Briefs, Special Reports, Occasional Papers, Books and Monographs, GP-ORF Series, Monitors), expert commentary series (Expert Speak, Commentaries), multimedia content, and major convening forums such as the Raisina Dialogue, BRICS Think Tanks Council, Sagarmanthan, Yerevan Dialogue, Cape Town Conversation, and Innovation Island Summit.

Product overview

Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is a non-partisan Indian think tank that operates a platform-plus-portfolio model comprising research publications, expert commentary series, convening forums, and specialized research centres. The core offerings include long-form research publications (Issue Briefs, Special Reports, Occasional Papers, GP-ORF Series, Books and Monographs, Monitors), expert commentary series (Expert Speak, Commentaries), multimedia content (Videos), and major convening forums (Raisina Dialogue, BRICS Think Tanks Council, Sagarmanthan, Yerevan Dialogue, Cape Town Conversation, Innovation Island Summit). Research is organized through specialized centres and programmes covering Security/Strategy/Technology, New Economic Diplomacy, Strategic Studies, Energy/Climate Change, Economy/Growth, Inclusive Growth/SDGs, and Urban Studies. The organization also maintains multilingual content in Hindi, Marathi, and Bengali.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Raisina Dialogue: India's premier annual conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics addressing challenges facing the global community
• Raisina Files
• Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue
• BRICS Think Tanks Council
• ORF Foreign Policy Survey

Products and services

• Expert Speak A commentary series featuring insights from experts and emerging voices on topics at the intersection of law, security, economics, and global internet governance, including sub-series such as Post Aid World, Digital Frontiers, Atlantic Files, Health Express, India Matters, India with Africa, Young Voices, War Fare, Urban Futures, Terra Nova, Space Tracker, and Raisina Debates.
• Commentaries In-depth analytical commentaries on contemporary political and economic developments from an international perspective.
• Issue Briefs Concise policy research publications analyzing specific topics including climate action, cybersecurity, maritime studies, critical minerals, and trade.
• Special Reports Comprehensive long-form research reports on strategic, geopolitical, economic, and security topics affecting India and the world.
• Occasional Papers Academic-style research papers examining policy issues in depth, covering maritime governance, climate policy, urban development, and strategic studies.
• GP-ORF Series Collaborative research publications produced in partnership with GlobalPolicy journal, covering digital Africa, development finance, connectivity, and climate resilience.
• Books and Monographs Long-form scholarly books and monographs on foreign policy, strategic studies, regional politics, and international relations.
• Monitors Regular periodic publications including Cyber Monitor, West Asia Monitor, Energy News Monitor, The Defence Cable, Beijing Scan Monitor, and South China Sea Monitor providing ongoing analysis of specific regions and sectors.
• Raisina Dialogue India's premier annual conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, bringing together global leaders, policymakers, and experts to discuss challenges facing the global community, held in partnership with India's Ministry of External Affairs.
• BRICS Think Tanks Council An MoU-based governing body for the BRICS Academic Forum, an annual conference that is a consistent feature of the BRICS Track 2 Process.
• Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue A maritime-focused dialogue examining ocean governance, blue economy, and maritime security issues, organized in partnership with India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
• Yerevan Dialogue A dialogue platform held in Armenia convening senior government representatives, private sector, NGOs, academia, youth, and other stakeholders for global governance discussions.
• Cape Town Conversation An annual South Africa-based platform bringing together key stakeholders and new voices for global governance conversations.
• Innovation Island Summit A multistakeholder platform exploring strategies for advancing sustainable, innovative pathways for Sri Lanka and other island economies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Raisina Dialogue is cited as 'better than Davos' by former Australian PM Tony Abbott
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• World Trade Center MumbaicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Co-organized high-level roundtable on blue circular economy in Mumbai, exploring how circular economy principles can drive innovation and sustainable growth in India's maritime sector.
• All India Association of Industries (AIAI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Partner in blue economy policy discussions alongside World Trade Center Mumbai, representing Indian industry's perspective on maritime and trade policy.
• Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026ORF and RIS co-hosted the inaugural BRICS Academic Forum on April 17-18 in New Delhi as part of India's BRICS Chairship for 2026. The Forum brings together policymakers, academics, and researchers from BRICS countries.
• PwC IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2026Joint report with PwC India projecting AI could contribute $135.6-149.9 billion to India's manufacturing MSMEs by 2035, examining technology adoption and economic impact.
• Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2026Co-organizing symposium 'Secure Frontiers, Shared Futures' on digital frontier security and AI infrastructure resilience, to be held at ECSSR in Abu Dhabi on January 29, 2026.
• India Ministry of External AffairsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerORF organizes the Raisina Dialogue in partnership with India's Ministry of External Affairs. This is India's premier annual conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, bringing together heads of state, ministers, and global leaders for strategic discussions.
• India Ministry of Ports, Shipping and WaterwayscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue, India's maritime policy forum held during India Maritime Week, focusing on ocean governance, maritime security, and blue economy.
• HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development (Russia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership formalized during Sagarmanthan Dialogue to strengthen cooperation for studying urban development across BRICS countries, with joint academic events and research projects.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Global policy research organization with comparable focus on geopolitics, economic governance, and international affairs. Operates parallel regional centers and convenes high-level policy dialogues, directly comparable to ORF's model of combining long-form research with Track 2 diplomacy.
• Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs): Premier UK-based international affairs think tank with global convening authority and policy research output. Highly comparable to ORF in its dual focus on rigorous research publications and hosting flagship international fora (e.g., Chatham House Rule discussions).
• Centre for Policy Research (CPR) India: New Delhi-based Indian policy research think tank focused on domestic governance, law, and international relations. The closest India-only peer to ORF, producing comparable issue briefs and policy reports for Indian policymakers and serving overlapping government and academic audiences.
• Carnegie India: India-focused center of the Carnegie Endowment network, based in New Delhi. Directly competes with ORF in India policy research, geopolitics, and convening activities, drawing on Carnegie Endowment's significantly larger global brand and resources.
• Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations: Mumbai-based Indian foreign policy think tank focused on global governance, energy, and international relations. Geographic complement to ORF's Delhi base with overlapping government, corporate, and academic audience.
• International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS): Global think tank specializing in strategic studies, defense, and military affairs with flagship publications like The Military Balance. Comparable to ORF's strategic studies and defense portfolio, with similar international convening footprint.
• German Marshall Fund (GMF): US-based transatlantic policy institute with comparable model of regional offices, policy research publication, and flagship convening forums (e.g., Brussels Forum). Direct parallel to ORF's trans-regional convening strategy and policy research output.

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: Larger US-based policy research organization with broader scope across economics, foreign policy, and governance. While broader in mandate, Brookings' combination of issue briefs, special reports, and flagship events is structurally analogous to ORF's publishing-plus-convening model.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Major US-based bipartisan policy research organization with strong focus on international security, technology, and geopolitics. Comparable to ORF in its dual emphasis on defense/strategy research and convening senior policymakers.
• Atlantic Council: US-based international affairs think tank with global programs on geopolitics, energy, and economics. Comparable business model of combining policy research with high-profile convening events and strong corporate/foundation sponsorship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/orfonline
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkcjGxTW_mLZmmEfWP2UMtQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/ORFOnline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/observer-research-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/orfonline

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Observer Research Foundation