What India Foundation does

India Foundation is a private, New Delhi-based policy research think tank established in 2014, operating from the India Habitat Centre with a headcount of 11–50. It conducts research and convenes dialogue across five divisions: Foreign & Public Policy, Economics, Security & Strategy, Religion & Society, and Constitutional & Legal Studies. Its core outputs are publications and events: the India Foundation Journal, books and monographs, policy briefs and reports, the Chintan blog, the "Insight with Rami" podcast, and signature programs including the Young Thinkers Meet (15th edition scheduled for July 2026), the Indian Ocean Conference (in association with the Government of Mauritius), Katha Sessions, and the newly announced India Deep Tech Conclave 2026.

The foundation's "product" is non-technological: it is a content-and-convening platform that translates scholarly and policy analysis into journal articles, podcasts, books, and in-person events. Distribution runs through the indiafoundation.in and chintan.indiafoundation.in websites, social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Telegram), and partnerships with Indian and international institutions including the Japan Foundation, Indian Council of World Affairs, Rocky Mountain Institute, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Manipal Institute of Social Sciences, and the International Big Cat Alliance. There is no proprietary software, app, API, or technology stack described in the source material.

Commercially, India Foundation operates as a non-profit think tank; it does not disclose revenue or pricing. The implied revenue model is a mix of research grants, institutional partnerships, event sponsorships, and potentially government or private sector funding for specific research initiatives, with content and events offered free to its policy, academic, and public audiences. Customer segments are horizontal: government and policymakers are the primary audience, with academia and the research community as a secondary audience.

Name

India Foundation

Legal name

India Foundation

Website

https://indiafoundation.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

India Foundation is a New Delhi-based private policy think tank (est. 2014) that produces research, publications, podcasts, and convening events on foreign policy, security, economics, and constitutional studies for government, academic, and public audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Think Tank Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Foreign policy analysis
• Geopolitical strategy research
• Think tank publications
• Policy advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Research and Policy Services: India Foundation operates as a non-profit policy research organization. As a think tank, it generates revenue through research grants, institutional partnerships, event sponsorships, and potentially government or private sector funding for specific research initiatives and policy studies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

India Foundation is a policy research think tank that conducts research and analysis across five divisions: Foreign & Public Policy, Economics, Security & Strategy, Religion & Society, and Constitutional & Legal Studies. It publishes the India Foundation Journal, books, monographs, policy briefs, and articles through the Chintan blog, produces podcasts (Insight with Rami), and convenes conferences and events such as the annual Young Thinkers Meet, Indian Ocean Conference, India Ideas Conclave, and Katha Sessions to facilitate dialogue among policymakers, academics, and thought leaders.

Product overview

India Foundation is a policy research think tank focused on foreign policy, diplomacy, security strategy, and cultural affairs. The organization operates as a unified platform offering publications (including the India Foundation Journal, Books, Monographs, and Reports), podcasts (such as Insight with Rami), and event-based programming (including the Young Thinkers Meet, Katha Session cultural series, and Indian Ocean Conference). The core offering consists of policy research and analysis through publications and expert commentary, complemented by convening platforms for dialogue on national and global issues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Chintan: Official blog platform of India Foundation featuring articles, podcasts, and commentary on policy, diplomacy, and strategic affairs
• Young Thinkers Meet
• Katha Session
• India Ideas Conclave
• Indian Ocean Conference

Products and services

• India Foundation Journal A flagship publication featuring in-depth analysis, research articles, and interviews on foreign policy, diplomacy, security, and societal issues relevant to India and the Indo-Pacific region. Targeted at policymakers, academics, diplomats, and informed readers.
• Chintan Blog An official blog platform of India Foundation featuring articles, commentary, and analysis on diplomacy, security, economics, culture, and society, with contributions from fellows and external experts. Targeted at readers interested in policy discourse.
• Insight with Rami Podcast A flagship podcast series featuring interviews with experts, policymakers, and thought leaders on current affairs, geopolitics, and strategic issues. Distributed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud.
• Katha Session A cultural storytelling series featuring international speakers exploring folklore, cultural heritage, and cross-cultural connections between India and other nations (for example, a session on German folklore in collaboration with the Hanns Seidel Foundation).
• Young Thinkers Meet (YTM) A flagship annual programme bringing together participants under 35 from diverse academic and professional backgrounds for policy-oriented dialogue on national and global issues. The 15th edition is scheduled for July 2026.
• Indian Ocean Conference An annual international conference series bringing together leaders, policymakers, and experts from across the Indian Ocean Region to deliberate on regional governance and cooperative frameworks, held in association with the Government of Mauritius.
• Books & Monographs Published works including books, coffee table books, and monographs covering geopolitical analysis, policy studies, and cultural research.
• Policy Briefs & Reports In-depth policy analysis documents covering foreign policy, economics, security & strategy, religion & society, and constitutional & legal studies.

Quantifiable outcome

• The 15th edition of Young Thinkers Meet scheduled for July 2026 with participants under 35 from diverse backgrounds

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2026India Foundation and IBCA entered into an MoU to enhance the understanding and implementation of sustainable development practices in the context of big cat conservation and the surrounding population. This partnership focuses on environmental sustainability and wildlife conservation initiatives.
• India Habitat CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration on panel discussions, book discussions, and cultural events. India Foundation regularly organizes events at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, including book launches and policy discussions.
• Maharaja Sayajirao University of BarodamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the International Conference on Modern Indian Political Thought: Intellectual Traditions and Contemporary Relevance held in Vadodara. More than 150 scholars participated in sessions focused on decolonizing political theory and articulating a distinct Indian perspective.
• Rocky Mountain InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Mumbai Climate Week 2026 event focused on 'How Circular Supply Chains Can Power India's Energy Transition'. Brought together stakeholders from government, industry and philanthropy for climate and energy security discussions.
• Japan FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Round Table Discussion titled 'Is Rules-Based Order Still Alive? India and Japan in the Indo-Pacific' organized with ORCA and the Japan Foundation on March 11, 2026.
• Indian Council of World AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple collaborations including panel discussions on Bangladesh and Myanmar, and participation in National Seminar on 'Southern Asia in Transition: India's Strategic Choices amidst Geopolitical Rivalries'. Also organized joint conference with Chennai Centre for China Studies and Centre for East Asian Studies.
• Manipal Institute of Social Sciences, Humanities and ArtsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint organization of National Seminar on 'Southern Asia in Transition: India's Strategic Choices amidst Geopolitical Rivalries' focusing on India's relations with Myanmar and Southeast Asia.
• Political Science SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndia Foundation served as knowledge partner for Political Science Conclave 2026 organized by Political Science Society. Conducted Policy Lab on India-US Trade deal on March 12, 2026 at IIC, New Delhi.
• ORCAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint organization of Round Table Discussion on 'Is Rules-Based Order Still Alive? India and Japan in the Indo-Pacific' with ORCA and Japan Foundation.
• Chennai Centre for China Studies and Centre for East Asian Studies, Christ UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on International Conference on 'ASEAN 3.0: Charting Economic Pathways in an Era of Adversarial Trade and Tariffs' organized in Bengaluru.
• Hanns Seidel FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the 13th Katha Session focused on German folklore, bringing together speakers to explore cultural connections between India and Germany through storytelling. Judith Weinberger-Singh of Hanns Seidel Foundation participated as a speaker.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations: Mumbai-based foreign policy think tank focused on India's global engagement and international relations — a strong peer in subject matter, publications, and policy events targeting Indian and global stakeholders.
• Centre for Policy Research: One of India's oldest independent think tanks conducting research on politics, economics, urbanisation, and security; comparable in research depth, multi-disciplinary scope, and policy advisory model.
• Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses: New Delhi-based defence and security studies think tank with research on strategic affairs; directly comparable in the security & strategy research stream and government-facing policy briefs.
• Carnegie India: International affairs think tank focused on Indian and South Asian policy as part of the Carnegie Endowment network; comparable in policy research focus, publications output, and convening of global stakeholders.
• Vivekananda International Foundation: New Delhi-based policy think tank covering national security, foreign policy, and strategic studies with a similar ideological positioning and government-facing convening model — a closely matched peer in subject matter and audience.
• Observer Research Foundation: One of India's largest and most prominent policy think tanks headquartered in New Delhi, focused on foreign policy, economics, security, and society — directly comparable in mission, geographic footprint, and event-driven research model.
• Indian Council of World Affairs: India's premier foreign policy research institution focused on international relations and diplomatic engagement; comparable as a partner and peer in foreign policy research and convening activity.

Broad incumbents

• Hudson Institute: US-based policy research organisation with significant work on Indian foreign policy, Indo-Pacific strategy, and US-India relations — a broader-incumbent peer with global research footprint and overlapping subject matter.
• Asia Society Policy Institute: Global policy institute focused on Asia-Pacific affairs with research on Indo-Pacific security, governance, and trade — a broader incumbent covering India as part of a wider regional remit.
• Brookings India (now Center for the Advanced Study of India): University-affiliated policy research centre with a deep India focus spanning economics, foreign policy, and development — a broader-incumbent peer with deeper institutional funding and global Brookings affiliation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/indfoundation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCoa562Q8QrgTAAyqNsx36oA
• Facebookfacebook.com/IndiaFoundation
• LinkedInin.linkedin.com/company/india-foundation-delhi
• Instagraminstagram.com/indiafoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about India Foundation