SEARCH RESULTS

< Back Mr Kunal Mandal "Kunal is a serial entrepreneur who is optimistic and passionate about building businesses, transforming ideas, and life-long learning. He is an engineer by education, game evangelist by profession, creative experimenter by nature and collaborative changemaker at heart. He has worked extensively in the media industry primarily with Reliance Big Synergy Media Ltd. where his primary role was to make content interesting to help individuals and brands grow. He has worked as a content strategist for various TV shows including Kaun Banega Crorepati and has produced content in over 10 different languages. He has also been a consultant to various projects for Govt. of India, where he worked on projects like Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Artificial intelligence research, analytics and knowledge assimilation platform (AIRAWAT), Khadya Suraksha Abhiyan for FSSAI, Voter education program for Election Commission of India etc. Over various years, he has co-founded Gyaanspace – a gamification company which uses quizzes and other games as a tool for people engagement; Citybytesindia - a travel community which helps travellers discover and book inspiring city experiences provided by local experts and an energy company that specializes in production of green hydrogen from biomass. He studied Production engg. at Jadavpur University, and Gamification at Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania. Kunal is currently on a mission to teach curiosity as a skill, increase awareness about sustainability, make green energy affordable and empower young Indians to be more than they thought they could be. Publications

< Back Mr Abhivardhan Abhivardhan is the Chairperson & Managing Trustee of the Indian Society of Artificial Intelligence and Law & the Managing Partner of Indic Pacific Legal Research. Abhivardhan possesses research competence and experience of international technology law, global governance, corporate innovation and cultural intelligence. Abhivardhan is a regular contributor to various law, technology and policy magazines and blogs. He is an author of “AI Ethics and International Law: An Introduction” (2019) and is a proponent of the Indic approach to AI Ethics. He is available on LinkedIn. Abhivardhan has authored various papers on international technology law and even authored as well as edited many books so far in the realms of public international law and international law & artificial intelligence. His speaking and research interests lie in Indo-Pacific, disruptive technology ethics & policies, artificial intelligence governance, Indo-European culture & music, global governance, sustainable development, digital connectivity and public international law. Publications

< Back Ms Eerishika Pankaj Eerishika Pankaj is currently Head of Research, and Operations Director, at the Organisation for Research on China and Asia, New Delhi. She also serves as an Editorial and Research Assistant to the Series Editor of Routledge Studies on Think Asia. She is the current Commissioning Editor (political economy) of E-International Relations, and has published several commentaries and opinion pieces on topics including Chinese foreign policy, and the Indo-Pacific. She holds a BA in International Studies from FLAME University, India. Publications From Abe to Kishida: Japan’s Changing Line on China https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2021/10/11/from-abe-to-kishida-japans-changing-line-on-china/ The Quad Comes of Age? geopoliticalmonitor.com/the-quad-comes-of-age/ Xi Jinping and Constitutional Revisions in China https://isdp.eu/publication/xi-jinping-and-constitutional-revisions-in-china/

< Back Mr Won Deuk Cho Dr. Cho, Wondeuk is a research professor of the Center of ASEAN-Indian Studies at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS), Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA). Publications

f9c8895b-dccb-427a-9fbf-854aff60e868 < All op-eds India in Indo-Pacific amidst emerging developments. Mr Gazi Hassan India in Indo-Pacific amidst emerging developments. “What has become of the Indo-Pacific?” is the question many are grappling to comprehend with. The new and renewed interest of major powers to assert their supremacy corresponds to the fact that Indo-Pacific is and will be detrimental to the international politics in the coming years. With China flexing its muscles across globe in general and South and East China Sea in particular via its ambitious project -BRI, the new found interest in the region is hardly anyone can miss. The Indo-Pacific is emerging as a new geopolitical hotspot with enormous economic and demographic potential, emphasizing India's opportunity to play a vital role in this region. With countries like Australia, Japan, UK and the United States forwarding their own vision for the Indo-Pacific, this region will become the new hotspot for dominant and emerging powers in the future. This construct automatically position India as a key player in implementing respective strategies for their Indo-Pacific vision, which is based on the rule based international system, free trade and freedom of navigation. The Indo-Pacific region encompasses four continents: Asia, Australia, Africa and America as well as two of the world's great oceans: the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is one of the most economically active regions which is home to 60% of the world's population. This region accounts for two-thirds of global economic output, establishing it as an emerging global economic centre. Due to crucial sea lanes of communication passing through it, this region is also of critical importance for the movement of goods and people. The Indo-Pacific region is a relatively new addition to the geopolitical landscape but India's relationship with this region dates back many centuries. India has cultural, maritime and economic linkages with this region. Smaller island nations and littoral states such as Mauritius, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka are also located in this region. The geographical significance of these states which had been forgotten in the post-Cold War world have resurfaced in current strategic thinking of various countries. In the post-war period, the geopolitical vacuum has led India to become a net security provider and the first responder to humanitarian crises in the region. India has recalibrated its foreign policy with changing geopolitical conditions in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. With its growing influence, China has emerged as an alternative security provider posing a threat to India's position as the primary regional power. China has offered lucrative infrastructure projects and aid in the form of ambitious projects like the Belt and Road Initiative, which has been welcomed by several countries in India's neighbourhood. The lack of infrastructure and an alternative option has led to China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific which has challenged the stability in the region. The changing geopolitical order in its vicinity has prompted India to recognize the need for a framework for its Indo-Pacific strategy. In fact, Prime Minister Modi presented India's vision for the Indo-Pacific at the Shangri La dialogue in 2018. Modi's address confirmed that India's geographical definition of the Indo-Pacific stretches from the western coast of North America to the eastern shores of Africa. In his address, he emphasized the role of cooperation and collaboration for New Delhi's vision for the Indo-Pacific. India advocates an open and balanced international trade regime in the region. India has been actively collaborating with other countries like Japan, Australia and the United States to counter the rapidly emerging security dynamics as a result of Chinese growing presence in this region. New Delhi engages with its Indo-Pacific partners through bilateral and multilateral platforms in areas such as blue economy, maritime domain, disaster management and high impact capacity- building projects. The establishment of an Indo-Pacific wing in the Ministry of External Affairs in 2019 signalled India's strategic thinking in the maritime domain. SAGAR which stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region has provided the framework for New Delhi's approach towards the free and open Indo-Pacific. The 'Indo- Pacific Oceans' initiative (IPOI) was launched with ASEAN as the primary platform to implement the vision of SAGAR. India has also attempted to increase its diplomatic engagement with Indo-Pacific islands countries by establishing the Forum of India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC). India is also a member of QUAD -a coalition of four like-minded countries with converging Indo-Pacific interests. The member countries -India, Australia, Japan, and the United States are all democracies with liberal market economies and pluralistic societies advocating free and open Indo-Pacific. The framework for QUAD has become active and serious with the regular meetings of officials and foreign ministers. The QUAD has adopted a constructive approach aimed at the well-being of people in the Indo-Pacific with initiatives on climate change, vaccines and developmental projects. The emergence of Indo-Pacific allows India to broaden its geopolitical interests while countering Chinese threat in its neighbourhood. India's engagement within the region remains limited and lacks a coherent policy framework. India needs to explore new partnerships based on shared mutual interests. India needs to take a stand by considering its geopolitical interests with the changing security architecture in the region. India has a comparative advantage due to its civilization ties with the countries in the region and there is a need to engage more on a people-to-people level in the Indo-Pacific. The engagements could include health, higher education, security and defence, research and development among others. India can also consider engaging with non-traditional allies like Canada and New Zealand to expand its interests in the Indo- Pacific. For an effective collaboration among QUAD member, countries need to understand their converging interests and priorities in the region. The Indo-Pacific will continue to offer India an opportunity to play prominent role and to secure its geopolitical and strategic interests. India’s actions and its partnerships will determine the role which it will play in the international order. The maritime domain has played a significant role in shaping the emerging global order throughout history. The Indo- Pacific will be the starting point of many challenges and it will shape the future global order and security architecture not only in the region but beyond. Previous Next LATEST OP-EDS Dr Dhanasree Jayaram Intersectionality As The Key To Indo-Pacific Climate Action The Indo-Pacific is a dynamic region that faces a multitude of climate vulnerabilities. These climate vulnerabilities intermingle with the region’s social, economic, ecological, political, and cultural fault lines, thereby exacerbating the systemic crisis that the region’s populations are currently facing and will be facing in the future. Applying an intersectional framework is critical for developing a comprehensive understanding of varying vulnerabilities and capacities (that influence the agency of those affected) across societies. Read More Purvaja Modak 2024: Brazil’s G20 Year While Indonesia and India made some progress on negotiations on climate action, inclusion of the African Union in the G20 and the reform of multilateral development banks (MDBs), much more action is essential. Read More Abhivardhan An Indo-Pacific Perspective on AI Safety Analysing varied approaches to AI regulation in key countries, this article explores the challenges and opportunities of AI Safety in the Indo-Pacific region and discusses the need for a coordinated approach to addressing these issues. Read More

< Back Dr Athiqah Nur Alami Dr. Athiqah Nur Alami is a researcher at the Research Center for Politics, the National Research and Innovation Agency (Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional-BRIN), Indonesia. She just completed her Ph.D. from the Department of Southeast Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. Her main interests are in Indonesia's labor migration and foreign policy. She has been part of the research team on Indonesia’s foreign policy for the last ten years. Her team has produced several publications, including a book on “Foreign Policy and Energy Security Issues in Indonesia” in Springer in 2017. In the last two years, Athiqah and her team have been conducting research on strategies to strengthen the role of Indonesia in the Indo-Pacific. This research focuses on how Indonesia as middle power contributes to realizing an open and peaceful Indo-Pacific. She can be reached at email: athi001@brin.go.id . Publications

7c0e804f-4e50-4c4b-a7da-9eb4dc71fb02 < All op-eds US Senate Resolution on Arunachal Pradesh: A Goodwill Gesture or an Ice Breaker? Cyriac S Pampackal Days before the New Delhi visit of the US Congressional Delegation led by the Majority House Leader Chuck Schumer, the US Senate passed a resolution on Arunachal Pradesh in favour of India and condemning the actions of the People's Republic of China (PRC) along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This bipartisan resolution was introduced by Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley from Oregon and Republican Senator Bill Hagerty , clearly indicating the interests of the US Department of State. This resolution is one of the iconic moments in Indo-US relations under the present US administration. Through this resolution, the US Senate extends its unwavering support to India in its efforts to protect its sovereignty across the Himalayas. A closer examination of the resolution, however, reveals that it is not merely a goodwill gesture to India, but rather a concerted effort to knit India closer to US foreign policy efforts. Senate Resolution 75: An Overview The 75 th Resolution in the 1 st session of the 118 th Congress starts by reaffirming Arunachal Pradesh as an Indian territory and condemning provocations made by the PRC. The resolution's condemnation of Chinese provocations includes opposition to the PRC Ministry of Civil Affairs' cartographic efforts to declare Arunachal Pradesh as Chinese territory, as well as the ensuing skirmishes along the LAC in recent years. Furthermore, the US Senate extends its support to the Kingdom of Bhutan against the growing Chinese incursions in the eastern sector. In addition to that, the US Senate acknowledges the importance of Arunachal Pradesh to the Buddhist community and condemns the action of the PRC in raising diplomatic red flags on the incumbent Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh. The resolution also accuses the PRC of impeding poverty-alleviation efforts and sabotaging collaboration with international donors by scripting the perception of disputed territory about Arunachal Pradesh. Later in the resolution, India is praised for its development efforts in Arunachal Pradesh, as well as its promising role in the international arena, particularly through its G20 presidency. Evidently, the first half of the resolution is full of irk factors for PRC and is in support of Indian efforts against Chinese aggression. The second half of the 6-page resolution unfolds into a more constructive tool as it invokes the US vision of cooperating with India. It explicitly states the US interest to work with India through a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership bilaterally and to cooperate multilaterally through platforms like QUAD, I2U2 etc. The resolution also applauds India's efforts to defend itself against Chinese aggression, as well as its cooperation with Taiwan in many sectors, which shares similar Chinese aggression in its neighbourhood. Then the resolution extends its support to a free and open Indo-Pacific and commends India’s military modernization and "its diversification away from countries that fail to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations," clearly indicating the decreasing dependence of India on Russia . The resolution then assures its commitment to dedicating economic and diplomatic support to India in the development of Arunachal Pradesh. Furthermore, the resolution concludes by looking into potential avenues for defence cooperation, specifically " through defence interoperability and information sharing." What’s in it for India? While this resolution serves many US interests in its foreign engagements in the Indo-Pacific, it is also relevant for India, as it may serve as an icebreaker for India and the Democratic-led US administration, which is on the wrong foot when it comes to the Himalayan territorial disputes . The focus of the meeting with the Indian leadership and the all-democratic congressional delegation mirrored the verticals of cooperation mentioned in the US Senate’s resolution. This resolution just ratified the United States’ position over Arunachal Pradesh, and it will be reiterated on all international platforms, especially in countering the cartographic measures taken by the PRC to mandarinize Arunachal Pradesh and its specifics on international platforms. This is arguably based on US interests in securing the Indo-Pacific and making India a key player in it. However, this resolution exhibits the demanding nature of US foreign policy by indirectly trying to coerce India’s choices in military purchases and its position in the international realm. Another notable drawback of the resolution is that the options for the military support mentioned in it are limited and will be inadequate for succouring India. Even so, this resolution provides a great advantage for India diplomatically and strategically, it assures the US support at least on international platforms. Moreover, most nodes of possible cooperation between India and the US that are mentioned in the bill are focused on the Indo-Pacific, especially when it comes to countering Chinese aggression. This makes Resolution 75 a potential icebreaker for the process of securitizing the Indo-Pacific, with the US and India as partnering stakeholders. Previous Next LATEST OP-EDS Dr Dhanasree Jayaram Intersectionality As The Key To Indo-Pacific Climate Action The Indo-Pacific is a dynamic region that faces a multitude of climate vulnerabilities. These climate vulnerabilities intermingle with the region’s social, economic, ecological, political, and cultural fault lines, thereby exacerbating the systemic crisis that the region’s populations are currently facing and will be facing in the future. Applying an intersectional framework is critical for developing a comprehensive understanding of varying vulnerabilities and capacities (that influence the agency of those affected) across societies. Read More Purvaja Modak 2024: Brazil’s G20 Year While Indonesia and India made some progress on negotiations on climate action, inclusion of the African Union in the G20 and the reform of multilateral development banks (MDBs), much more action is essential. Read More Abhivardhan An Indo-Pacific Perspective on AI Safety Analysing varied approaches to AI regulation in key countries, this article explores the challenges and opportunities of AI Safety in the Indo-Pacific region and discusses the need for a coordinated approach to addressing these issues. Read More

< Back Dr Shreya Upadhyay Shreya Upadhyay is the Deputy Director(Hon.) Kalinga Institute of Indo-Pacific Studies. She has formerly worked as a Researcher at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, and the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi, focusing on subjects including food and water security, climate change-induced human displacement, India’s foreign policy, and South Asian geopolitics. She holds a PhD in US Area Studies from the School of International Studies (SIS), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She has also been a Consultant at the International Labour Organisation, and a Fullbright Nehru Scholar, serving as an Adjunct Faculty at the American University, Washington D.C. Publications Indo-Pacific and the Era of Minilateralism: https://thegeopolitics.com/indo-pacific-and-the-era-of-minilateralism/ With 370 gone, witll Kashmir prosper now? https://thegeopolitics.com/with-370-gone-will-kashmir-prosper-now/ The opportunities and risks of taking education online: https://www.policyforum.net/the-opportunities-and-risks-of-taking-education-online/

< Back Ms Simran Walia Simran Walia is a Research Associate at the Centre for Air Power Studies and has pursued M.Phil in Japanese Studies under the Centre of East Asian Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University. Her research interests include Japanese politics and foreign policy, Indo-Pacific and East Asian foreign policy too. She has published articles and papers in Magazines and Journals like, 'The diplomat', Indian Defence Review and elsewhere. Publications

< Back Ms Ratih Indraswari Ms. Ratih Indraswari is a faculty at the Parahyangan Catholic University(UNPAR), in Bandung and currently a doctoral candidate at Ewha Womans University majoring in Political Science and International Relations under the HEAT (Higher Education ASEAN Talents) scholarship. Publications Strengthening the Technology-Culture Nexus Between ASEAN and South Korea. https://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/blog/strengthening-technology-culture-nexus between-asean-and-south-korea ASEAN will Remain Important to Korea Under New Leader https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2022/03/16/asean-will-remain-important to-korea-under-new-leader.html Opinion Edition Inside Indonesia on Learning Abroad in the Time of COVID-19 https://www.insideindonesia.org/learning-abroad-in-the-time-of-covid-19-3.

Follow us on Twitter @IP_Circle Send us a message and we’ll get back to you shortly. Email Subject Your message SEND Thanks for submitting! We will get back to you shortly.

International Workshop Devising a Regional Pedagogy on the Indo-Pacific 11-13 March, 2024 CHRIST University, Bengaluru The Centre for East Asian Studies, Christ (Deemed to be University) in collaboration with the Indo-Pacific Circle conducted an international workshop that brought together13 eminent experts from the Indo-Pacific region to collectively curate a comprehensive curriculum on the Indo-Pacific. The workshop provided an inclusive and creative environment to ideate upon diverse themes that are crucial to understanding the Indo-Pacific. VIEW MORE Chennai Residency 23-27 July, 2022 Taj Connemara, Chennai The Chennai Residency brought together over 60 members of the Indo-Pacific Circle Network to connect and spark new collaborative research opportunities. Through the first IPC Residency, members discussed their ongoing research, participated in workshops and observed several expert panels. VIEW MORE