Samir Saran

Samir Saran is the president of Observer Research Foundation, a leading Indian think tank headquartered in New Delhi with affiliates in North America and the Middle East. Saran’s research covers global governance, climate and energy policy, technology and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and India’s foreign policy. With an academic background in electrical and electronics engineering, media studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and doctoral studies at the Global Sustainability Institute in the United Kingdom, Saran applies an interdisciplinary approach to complex geopolitical challenges.

As president and board member of Observer Research Foundation, Saran oversees strategic direction, fundraising, research projects, platform design, and outreach initiatives, including stakeholder engagement. He is the founder and president of Raisina Platforms & Ideas Forum, which administers the Raisina Dialogue, a major conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, as well as affiliate convenings such as Raisina Forum for the Future of Diplomacy, Raisina Middle East, Raisina Down Under, Raisina Mediterranean, and Raisina Tokyo. Saran also founded CyFy, India’s annual conference on cybersecurity and internet governance.

Before becoming president of Observer Research Foundation, Saran served as vice president, leading outreach, business development, government engagement, and global partnerships. Prior to his work in policy research, Saran worked in the Indian private sector at Reliance Industries, holding roles across fiber and petrochemicals, power, telecom, retail, and media, and participated in the Government–Industry panel on intellectual property and broadcasting regulation.

Saran is a member of the Global Risks Advisory Board and chair of the Global Future Council on Geopolitics at World Economic Forum. He has served as a commissioner of The Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace and is a board member at ORF America, president at ORF Middle East, and a member of the Board of Governors of East West Centre in the United States. He also serves on the board of Microsoft’s Digital Peace Now. These roles contribute to Saran’s involvement in shaping global norms in technology, security, and multilateral cooperation.

Saran has authored five books, edited journals and publications, and contributed academic papers and book chapters. Notable publications include "GeoTechnoGraphy: Mapping Power and Identity in the Digital Age" with Anirban Sarma, "The New World Disorder and The Indian Imperative" with Shashi Tharoor, and "Pax Sinica: Implications for the Indian Dawn" with Akhil Deo. Saran is a frequent commentator on global governance, geopolitics, digital governance, and India’s role in international affairs, with regular appearances in Indian and international print and broadcast media.