Chintan Research Foundation
Chintan Research Foundation is an independent New Delhi-based think tank, founded in 2024, that produces policy research on climate, energy transition, trade, and geopolitics for Indian government, industry, and academic audiences. It is led by former WTO Director Shishir Priyadarshi and operates through publications, podcasts, and policy dialogues.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersNew Delhi, India
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Chintan Research Foundation does
Chintan Research Foundation (CRF) is an independent, non-partisan policy research think tank headquartered in New Delhi, India, founded in 2024. Its mission is to bridge the gap between policymakers and industry by producing evidence-based research and thought leadership on climate change and energy transition, economic and trade policy, and geopolitical and strategic studies with particular emphasis on the Global South and India's Viksit Bharat development vision. The organization operates three thematic research centres — the Centre for Climate Change and Energy Transition, the Centre for Economy and Trade, and the Centre for Geopolitics and Strategic Studies — and serves a horizontal audience of government officials, corporate leaders, and academic researchers. Its core offerings include opinion columns, issue briefs, research articles, and special reports, supplemented by two podcasts (Chintan Speaks and Deep Focus with Neha Khanna), a newsletter, and policy dialogues and roundtable events.
CRF is led by President Shishir Priyadarshi, a former Director of the World Trade Organization with over 22 years of international institutional experience and a prior 20-year career in the Indian Administrative Service. The foundation has cultivated partnerships with Koan Advisory Group, the Information Technology Industry Council, the Institute of Chinese Studies, Finovista, the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor (Manthan), and The Dialogue on joint reports and policy dialogues spanning trade, nuclear energy, and AI infrastructure. As a non-profit, CRF does not sell products or services; its research outputs are made publicly available through its website, podcasts, and events. The organization is privately funded, with no disclosed shareholders, funding rounds, or don
Chintan Research Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chintan Research Foundation
- Legal name
- Chintan Research Foundation
- Website
- https://www.crfindia.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Chintan Research Foundation is an independent New Delhi-based think tank, founded in 2024, that produces policy research on climate, energy transition, trade, and geopolitics for Indian government, industry, and academic audiences. It is led by former WTO Director Shishir Priyadarshi and operates through publications, podcasts, and policy dialogues.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chintan Research Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Policy Research Services
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA), Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE)
Keywords
Where Chintan Research Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Delhi
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chintan Research Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Chintan Research Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chintan Research Foundation is an independent, non-profit policy research think tank that produces research publications, issue briefs, reports, podcasts, and policy dialogue platforms on climate change and energy transition, economy and trade, and geopolitics and strategic studies. Its outputs are made publicly available to inform policymakers, industry, academia, and the wider public on interconnected global policy challenges.
Product overview
Chintan Research Foundation (CRF) is an independent think tank that operates as a research and policy analysis organization rather than a commercial product company. Its offerings consist of research publications organized across three thematic centres: the Centre for Climate Change and Energy Transition, the Centre for Economy and Trade, and the Centre for Geopolitics and Strategic Studies. CRF's core products include various types of research outputs (Opinion Columns, Issue Briefs, Research Articles, and Special Reports), complemented by podcasts (Chintan Speaks and Deep Focus with Neha Khanna), a newsletter, and policy dialogue events. The organization bridges the gap between policymakers and industry through rigorous research and thought leadership focused on climate change, energy transition, economic and trade policy, and geopolitical studies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Research Publications A suite of policy research outputs including Opinion Columns, Issue Briefs, Research Articles, and Special Reports covering climate change, energy transition, economy, trade, and geopolitics. Designed for policymakers, business leaders, academics, and informed public readers seeking independent analysis.
- Chintan Speaks Podcast A flagship audio podcast produced by the foundation featuring discussions with subject-matter experts on policy issues spanning climate, energy, trade, and geopolitics. Distributed to a general listener audience interested in policy commentary.
- Deep Focus with Neha Khanna Podcast A focused interview-format podcast hosted by Neha Khanna that engages experts on themes central to the foundation's research agenda, including international trade, energy transition, and climate diplomacy. Aimed at policy-engaged listeners and practitioners.
- CRF Newsletter A periodic email newsletter that distributes the foundation's latest research highlights, policy commentary, and event announcements to subscribers. Designed for ongoing engagement with researchers, policy professionals, and interested readers.
- Policy Dialogues and Events Convening programmes including flagship policy dialogues, panel discussions, and Foundation Day gatherings that bring together experts, policymakers, industry representatives, and academics for structured exchanges on contemporary policy challenges.
Companies that use Chintan Research Foundation
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Chintan Research Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Chintan Research Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Koan Advisory GroupcoreCo-produced a report titled 'Resilience in a Fragmenting World: India's Economic Relations with Great Powers' recommending policy approaches for India's economic engagement with major powers.
- Information Technology Industry CouncilcoreCollaborated on the report 'Resilience in a Fragmenting World' addressing trade agreements and investment screening frameworks.
- Institute of Chinese StudiescorePartnered on the report analyzing India's economic relations with great powers and trade policy recommendations.
- FinovistacoreJointly organized a Policy Dialogue on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) for India's defence manufacturing and data centre operations in New Delhi.
- Manthan (Office of Principal Scientific Advisor)corePartnered with CRF and Finovista to organize discussions on SMRs supporting India's 100 GW nuclear vision.
- The DialoguecoreJointly organized a roundtable discussion to develop a sustainable AI infrastructure roadmap for India, bringing together stakeholders from government, industry, academia, and policy research.
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Chintan Research Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Observer Research Foundation (ORF): One of India's largest and most established independent think tanks covering foreign policy, economics, security and climate — directly comparable to CRF in thematic breadth, Indian policy focus, and multi-channel research outputs.
- Centre for Policy Research (CPR): India-based policy research institution with strong engagement on governance, economy and international relations; highly comparable in being a New Delhi–based, non-partisan think tank producing research for policymakers.
- Carnegie India: Indian arm of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, focused on technology, economy, security and climate policy from a global/international perspective — closely comparable to CRF's Global South lens and policy dialogue model.
- Gateway House: Mumbai-based foreign policy and economics think tank focused on India's international relations and trade; overlaps directly with CRF's Centre for Geopolitics and Strategic Studies and Centre for Economy and Trade.
- India Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER): India-based economic policy think tank producing rigorous research on trade, investment and macroeconomic reform — directly comparable to CRF's Centre for Economy and Trade in audience and output type.
Broad incumbents
- Brookings Institution: Large, established US-based policy research institution with global programmes on economy, foreign policy and climate — comparable as a non-partisan think tank producing policy research, though operating at vastly greater scale and breadth.
- Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): Premier US-based foreign policy and international affairs think tank; relevant comparator for CRF's Centre for Geopolitics and Strategic Studies in terms of policy dialogue convening and publication model.
- Atlantic Council: International affairs think tank with strong programmes on global economics, energy and geopolitics — comparable to CRF in blending economic/trade and geopolitical research, though operating globally at greater scale.
Regional players
- The Dialogue: India and South Asia–focused platform on technology, sustainability and policy. CRF has already partnered with The Dialogue on AI infrastructure roundtables, indicating overlapping policy ecosystem.
Others
- Koan Advisory Group: Geopolitical advisory firm that co-produced the 'Resilience in a Fragmenting World' report with CRF; relevant as an adjacent, enabling ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Chintan Research Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceChintan Research Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chintan Research Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Chintan Research Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chintan Research Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chintan Research Foundation
What does Chintan Research Foundation do?
Chintan Research Foundation is an independent, non-profit policy research think tank that produces research publications, issue briefs, reports, podcasts, and policy dialogue platforms on climate change and energy transition, economy and trade, and geopolitics and strategic studies. Its outputs are made publicly available to inform policymakers, industry, academia, and the wider public on interconnected global policy challenges.
Is Chintan Research Foundation a public or private company?
Chintan Research Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Chintan Research Foundation founded?
Chintan Research Foundation was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Chintan Research Foundation based?
Chintan Research Foundation is headquartered in New Delhi, India, in the Asia region.
Who are Chintan Research Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Centre for Policy Research (CPR), Carnegie India, Gateway House and India Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER). Broad incumbents are Brookings Institution, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and Atlantic Council. The Dialogue is listed as a regional player. Koan Advisory Group is listed as an others.
Does Chintan Research Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chintan Research Foundation.
What industry is Chintan Research Foundation in?
Chintan Research Foundation's product category is Policy Research Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAO, Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes, with a secondary code of BPADALAA, Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support. Its NAICS code is 54172 and its SIC code is 8742.