SEARCH RESULTS

Chennai Residency 23-27 July, 2022 This annual residency brought together 50-60 members of the Indo-Pacific Circle to discuss their ongoing research, take part in workshops, and spark new collaborative research opportunities. Experts Amb P.S Raghavan Suhasini Haidar Daniel Shields Prof. Shankari Sundararaman Prof. Lawrence Prabhakar Amb Rakesh Sood Cmde R.S Vasan Virsa Perkins MK Narayanan Manu Pillai Emily Tallo Kenji Miyata Michael Costa Sonika Gupta Organizing Team Devyani Chaturvedi Laura Rose O'Connor Devika Makkat Esha Chadha Dr Tishya Khillare Bashir Ali Abbas Dr Gaurav Saini Prathit Singh

10 Lecture Course INDO PACIFIC Video Channel Name Play Video Play Video 00:23 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:32 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:29 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:31 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:23 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:32 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:29 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:31 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy.

82e4faaa-176d-485c-9cb1-622dce764eb4 < All op-eds 5O Years of Indonesia-ROK Relations: Challenges and Opportunities Ratih Indraswari Indonesia and the Republic of Korea(ROK) welcome their 50th bilateral anniversary this year. The history of their relations dates back to 1968, when Indonesia opened its consular services in Seoul, followed by the establishment of the Indonesia Embassy in 1973. The relationship was generally on a low profile. In 2006 Roh Moo Hyun and SBY agreed to establish a strategic partnership status. However, it was only after Moon Jae In's presidency, that relations progressed rapidly. In 2017 Moon brought up a delegation of 200 businessmen to Indonesia and announced its New Southern Policy emphasizing the three pillars, prosperity, peace, and people. The initiative clearly articulated Seoul's focus on its Southern neighbours by elevating ASEAN Member State status, including Indonesia. Indonesia welcomed the initiative. Jokowi and Moon upgraded the relationship into Special Strategic Partnership in 2017 . This partnership focused on cooperation, including defense and foreign affairs, bilateral trade and infrastructure development, people-to-people exchanges, and regional & global cooperation. With the opposition winning the election, there is scepticism about President Yoon Suk Yeol's policy towards ASEAN, particularly Indonesia, as Seoul's important partner. A shift to ROK's traditional partner, the United States is the highlight of the ROK conservatives party. with increasing provocation from North Korea, Seoul has redrawn its focus on the security of the Korean Peninsula. Despite the presence of doubts, Indonesia-ROK relations are set to be stronger. Economics is undoubtedly leading the bilateral relationship. Trade trends between the two countries rose. Quite Uninhibted by Covid, trade continues to grow from 16,3 million USD in 2017 to 20.5 million USD in 2022 . Making the ROK the 7th largest trading partner of Indonesia. Furthermore, it is expected that the trade quota will further rise along with the commencement of IK CEPA (Indonesia – Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement). Similarly, the investment trend with regard to Indonesia has also increased. In 2017 investment accounted for 2 million USD, however in 2022 after a meeting with President Yoon in Seoul, President Jokowi managed to secure an investment commitment of up to 6.7 million USD focusing on Electric Vehicle production and its subsidiary . However, for Jakarta, the picture does not seem very bright. Indonesia has much homework left. Based on the ASEAN-Korea Figure 2021 data, in comparison to other Southeast Asian member states, the trade volume of the ROK with Indonesia in 2021 stood 4th at 11% , behind Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia. The gap with Vietnam is high with almost half of ROK's total trade at 46% done with Vietnam. On investment, within the last three years average, Indonesia ranks third behind Vietnam and Singapore . Hence, Indonesia needs to seek niche sectors. One way is to shift cooperation from manufacturing to high technology field in which Seoul has the competitive advantage. Especially in sectors related to smart cities, electric vehicles, batteries, and digital trade cooperation. Another way, is to utilize public-private partnerships in investment projects, making use Korean companies and SMEs subsidiaries in the aforementioned sectors. Politically, during the ASEAN-ROK Meeting in Cambodia, President Yoon launched KASI (Korea ASEAN Solidarity Initiative) that further highlights ASEAN Centrality and supporting the ASEAN Outlook of Indo-Pacific. President Yoon's meeting with President Jokowi in July 2022 was his first official summit with ASEAN Leaders. Importantly, Indonesia assumes the ASEAN presidency in 2023 and plays an important role within ROK’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Yet a concrete roadmap of KASI remains to be unveiled. Since KASI is argued as a product of ROK’s US-centric government, its compatibility with AOIP is in question. Will KASI support ASEAN Centrality as promised when the tension between China and the US is heightened? An honest assessment must be applied to the security front. Indonesia has the capacity to provide a good office. In July 2023, the top nuclear envoys of the ROK and the US met in Indonesia to coordinate their responses to the North Korea missile threat. However, its position as an external party in the Korean peninsula issue is awkward. Indonesia might offer its help through the ASEAN platform. ARF has been offering its venue for negotiation on the North Korea issue but its effectiveness is limited. Instead of on traditional security issues, Indonesia and ROK should spend their energy on non-traditional issues. In line with Indonesia's G20 goal to focus on global health architecture, both countries should work more on health security management. Efforts to address the global pandemic was successful in that Indonesia received 7 million USD on KOICA's Covid-19 responses program. Indonesia also played a co-chair of COVAX AMC, a vaccine-sharing facility to ensure regional resiliencies. This platform can be a base for Indonesia-ROK health management and later duplicated to prepare for future health threats. The people-to-people exchange is often heralded as the “crème de la crème” sector due to Hallyu popularity in Southeast Asia. K-wave is a one-sided love. ASEAN Youth's interest in Hallyu goes beyond the entertainment industry. Despite the pandemic, the ASEAN Korea Figure 2022 shows that throughout the year, inbound tourism from ASEAN to Korea is increasing. However, the ASEAN brand is limited. The lack of an “ASEAN Wave” is apparent. Last year, the ASEAN Korea Center conducted a Survey on Mutual Perception of ASEAN and Korean Youth . The survey shows that more than 90% of Korean youth experienced Korean arts and culture, and only 55% of Korean youth said that they have experienced ASEAN arts and culture. A similar trend can be seen in the Korean perception about Indonesia. Indonesia is famous as a global tourism destination. However, a comparison with other ASEAN countries shows this is not the case for Korean nationals. Korean visitors to Indonesia in 2019 were 388 thousand, in comparison to Vietnam (4.291), Thailand (1888), the Philippines (1783), Singapore (646), and Malaysia (508). In 2020 the overall tourism rate dropped and Indonesia ranked 5th as Korea's destination place. Increasing the number of Korean visitors to Indonesia is important to strengthen the people-pillar between Indonesia and ROK. Tourism is one obvious sector but the often neglected one is educational exchange. The overall score on the exchange program between Korean youth and ASEAN, including Indonesia, is very low. Although Southeast Asian students contribute as the second largest foreign students in Korea, Indonesian students only contribute 3% of the total . Furthermore, the number of Korean students in Indonesia are far smaller than other nationalities. Welcoming the 50th year of partnership, Indonesia and ROK face unprecedented challenges. There are some key issues that need attention. Firstly, health security and its impact on the economy need to be examined. Indonesia- ROK partnership must be the foundational pillar of regional resilience to mitigate risks. Secondly, the adoption of technology is crucial to address societal challenges and create prosperous cities, with the use of electric vehicles and sustainable technology. Thirdly, though traditional security matters amidst great power rivalry, yet regional peace is more important. Indonesia and ROK must remain strong in its standing for a peaceful region. Fourthly, cooperation must spill over to the grassroots level. Both countries should not be satisfied with elite level mutual understanding. Investment in youth is needed to create stronger people-to-people cooperation between Indonesia and ROK. 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

76327b7b-9ef3-4dd2-ba2d-d8e90cd55081 < All op-eds Taiwan’s Critical Position in the Indo-Pacific: Implications for India Dr. Kaustav Padmapati The year 2022 was quite eventful for Taiwan as China did not stop its bullying tactics against the island nation and has been building up its military offensive against it. Taiwan constitutes a vital component of Indo Pacific region due to its crucial geographical and strategic position. To a significant extent, it is also due to the island nation’s critical position regarding Sino-US relations. Taiwan’s strategic location connects the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and the Sea of Japan . India is among the politically prominent players in the Indo- Pacific region along with China, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and the countries of Southeast Asia. Shifting geopolitical calculations, with China’s emergence as a major player and the declining role of the United States as a major power, have moved global focus toward the Indo-Pacific region. Today, the region has become home to numerous flashpoints as Beijing desires to turn the power balance in its favour, while Washington is wary of Chinese intentions . There are several unresolved territorial and maritime issues in the Indo-Pacific region. China’s hostile claims on East and South China sea regions have led to competing territorial claims being raised by counties, such as Vietnam, the Philippines, and Japan. The relative decline of US influence in the Indo-Pacific has opened new opportunities for other significant powers such as Japan, Australia, and India to become active in preserving political stability and supporting economic sustainability in the Indo-Pacific Region. India is a prominent Asian power. Indo- Pacific is both a strategic and a profitable realm that includes pivotal marine routes that link the coastlands of the two abysses. Many countries, including India, have a serious worry about Beijing’s intervention or greater Chinese presence within the Indo- Pacific and in the international community means for issues such as human rights, rule of law, democracy, and the most burning territorial issue like Taiwan. China’s increasing presence close to the territorial waters, and ambitious projects in the neighbourhood under the Belt and Road Initiative are a direct threat to India’s position as the main security provider and regional power. Taiwan also has great geopolitical significance in the Indo- Pacific Region. The island is located in the middle of what the United States considered its “forward defense perimeter” in the 1950s and what China now considers the so-called “First Island Chain”, which runs from Japan through the Ryukyus, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Taiwan protects immediate access to the Western Pacific via the Yonaguni Strait between Taiwan and Japan, and the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines. On the east coast, Taiwan’s deep-water naval bases at Su’ao and Hualien allow submarines to directly slip unnoticed into one of the deepest maritime channels in the Pacific. Therefore, Taiwan is crucial for Beijing not only politically but also for its geopolitical significance. Taiwan has been facing an increasingly aggressive China since 2021. New speculations and anxiety have surfaced about the political future of the island nation as Chinese President Xi Jinping, on 8 th October 2021 declared China’s possible peaceful “reunification” with Taiwan . This controversial statement came after Beijing sent a record number of military jets into Taiwan's defence zone. Since the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) Tsai Ing Wen became the President of Taiwan in 2016, Beijing resorted to a series of aggressive actions against Taipei, which included economic pressures and military bullying. President Xi during China’s 20th Communist Party Congress held in October 2022, renewed the vow to reunify the PRC with Taiwan. President Xi’s wish is made even more real by an increased People Liberation Army’s (PLA) activities surrounding Taiwan and Japan’s southwestern islands. The world is a witness that PLA’s movements surrounding Taiwan have increased tremendously in recent months. According to media reports, from July to August 2022, there was a 766% increase in the monthly average of PLA aircraft flying around Taiwan’s airspace. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taipei even fueled these activities. Beijing was furious as Washington “blatantly violated China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” it also launched missiles, which landed in Japan’s economic exclusion-zone waters after passing over the Taiwan Strait. The PLA Navy also retaliated as the presence of defense vessels in the waters surrounding the island significantly increased since Pelosi’s visit. China repeatedly claims that Taiwan is no longer just a sovereignty issue for China but a key component in achieving a geopolitical victory in the China-US great power rivalry and challenging the Indo-Pacific rules-based order. This motive in Chinese territorial behaviour is a cause for worry for India and some other fellow democracies. New Delhi advocates a rules-based, open, balanced liberal order and stable trading environment in the Indo- Pacific region. India looks at the Indo- Pacific as an open, libertarian, and democratic zone. So, New Delhi must protect Taiwan to ensure rules-based liberal order in the Indo-Pacific region. However, according to several China experts, the journey of India- Taiwan relations has happened under the shadow of China only. Taiwan never featured prominently within India’s Act East Policy as always been overshadowed by much bigger Sino- Indian ties. Reacting to all the complaints from Taipei, New Delhi finally broke its silence in August 2019 as India’s Ministry of External Affair’s spokesperson made a short and calculated statement as Beijing was overreacting during Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan in the same month. Reacting to the Chinese pressure around Taiwan Strait, New Delhi rejected any unilateral action to change the status quo and to maintain peace and stability in the region . Taiwan appreciated India’s stand. The PRC strictly practices the “one China” policy and has always considered “Taiwan” as an inseparable piece of mainland China. Over the years, the concept of the “one China” principle evolved along with China’s attempt to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. According to Harsh P. Pant (2022) from the Observer Research Foundation, the omission of the “one China” principle in the official statement from the Ministry of External Affairs is intentional . It was shared in 2014 by then-Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sushma Swaraj, that Beijing could not expect India to verbalize its support when China has ignored Indian sovereignty concerns in Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh. Beijing reacted immediately as Sun Weidong, Chinese envoy to India called on the Indian Government to reiterate its support for the “one China” principle. There are numerous benefits if New Delhi engages more closely with Taipei. Taiwan is a young democracy in East Asia, which offers a pluralistic and inclusive experience to its residents. Taiwan’s vibrant democratic model, which is praised in the Indo- Pacific region for its openness and transparency, could oppose PRC’s authoritarian development model. The Indo- Pacific region deserves more free and democratic liber democracies like Taiwan . So, it is the responsibility of all the major democracies of the region to protect Taiwan from potential Chinese invasion as the PRC attempts to diminish the civil society of Taiwan and confidence in its governance through various ways of using strong words and coercion. So, being a fair democracy, India must be concerned about Taiwan’s future as reunification by force or war would disrupt sea lines of communication and technology supply chains by providing China with a dominant status in the first island chain to the second island chain. In the face of assertive China, it’s the appropriate time for New Delhi to engage more politically and economically with Taiwan. 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

EDITORIAL BOARD Dr HAPPYMON JACOB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF happymon@csdronline.com Institutional Profile Happymon Jacob is the founder and director of the Council For Strategic and Defense Research, a new-age think-tank based in New Delhi. Dr Jacob is also an Associate Professor of Diplomacy and Disarmament at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). CAPT. SARABJEET S PARMAR EDITOR- INDO-PACIFIC ssparmar@csdronline.com Institutional Profile Capt Parmar is a Distinguished Fellow at CSDR and supports CSDR’s work on Indo-Pacific, Maritime Security and the Indian Ocean Region. PROF. JAGANNATH PANDA EDITOR-INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION jpanda@isdp.eu Institutional Profile Prof. Jagannath Panda is the Head of the Stockholm Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs (SCSA-IPA). He is also the Executive Editor for ISDP. Dr. Panda is a Professor at the Department of Regional and Global Studies at the University of Warsaw. VAdm ANIL K CHAWLA EDITOR-MARITIME AFFAIRS akchawlanav@csdronline.com Institutional Profile VAdm Anil K Chawla is the former Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command and a Distinguished Fellow at CSDR. RIVA GANGULY DAS EDITOR- FOREIGN POLICY riva@csdronline.com Institutional Profile Ambassador Das is a Distinguished Fellow at the Council For Strategic and Defense Research (CSDR, New Delhi). She joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1986. She has served as High Commissioner to Bangladesh and Ambassador to Romania, Albania and Moldova and has served as Consul General in Shanghai and New York. Before her retirement she was Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs. DR GAURAV SAINI EXECUTIVE EDITOR gauravsaini@csdronline.com Institutional Profile Dr. Gaurav Saini is co-founder of the Council for Strategic and Defense Research, a new-age think-tak based in New Delhi.

CIRCLE MEMBERS Find an expert Anehi Mundra Read More Aswani RS Read More Brendon J Cannon Read More Don McLain Gill Read More Dr Sabine Kapasi Read More Dr Vilashini Somiah Read More Dr A. Subramanyam Raju Read More Dr Ajith Balasooriya Read More Dr Amrita Jash Read More Dr Amrita Sen Read More Dr Anand V Read More Dr Angana Guha Roy Read More Dr Anil P Read More Dr Ashik Bonofer Read More Dr Athiqah Nur Alami Read More Dr Benjamin Yew Hoong Loh Read More Dr Bhagya Senaratne Read More Dr C Vinodan Read More Dr Choong Pui Yee Read More Dr Chow Bing Ngeow Read More Dr Dhanasree Jayaram Read More Dr Froilan Calilung Read More Dr Gazala Fareedi Read More Dr Hasith Kandaudahewa Read More Dr Helena Varkkey Read More Dr Josukutty Abraham Read More Dr Justin Joseph Read More Dr Kaustav Padmapati Read More Dr Kittipos Phuttivanich Read More Dr Ladhu Choudhary Read More Dr Lina Gong Read More Dr Madhumati Deshpande Read More Dr Marufa Akter Read More Dr Medha Bisht Read More Dr Moch Faisal Karim Read More Dr Nanda Kishor Read More Dr Nansi Paulraj Read More Dr Niloy Ranjan Biswas Read More Dr Pavithra Jayawardena Read More Dr Premesha Saha Read More Dr Priya Suresh Read More Dr Ramya Panuganty Read More Dr Samuwel Chaminda Padmakumara Read More Dr Sana Hashmi Read More Dr Shaheli Das Read More Dr Sharinee L Jagtiani Read More Dr Shelly Johny V. Read More Dr Shofwan Choiruzzad Read More Dr Shreya Upadhyay Read More Dr Sitakanta Mishra Read More Dr Sriparna Pathak Read More Dr Tanvi Kulkarni Read More Dr Uma Purushothaman Read More Dr Ying Hooi Khoo Read More Elizabeth Morison Read More Genevieve Bridget May Read More Kei Hakata Read More Lucio III Blanco Pitlo Read More Md. Nahiyan Shajid Khan Read More Mr A.S.M. Tarek Hassan Read More Mr Abhijeet Kumar Read More Mr Abhivardhan Read More Mr Aditya Singh Read More Mr Angshuman Choudhury Read More Mr Anilesh Tewari Read More Mr Anurag Mishra Read More Mr Arjun Gargeyas Read More Mr Ashok Alex Luke Read More Mr Balasubramanian Chandrashekar Read More Mr Cyriac S Pampackal Read More Mr Gaurav Sen Read More Mr Gazi Hassan Read More Mr Gujjeti Anudeep Read More Mr Kunal Mandal Read More Mr Manoj Kewalramani Read More Mr Nahian Reza Sabriet Read More Mr Paras Ratna Read More Mr Rahul Rawat Read More Mr Saneet Chakradeo Read More Mr Sarral Sharma Read More Mr Satria Rizaldi Alchatib Read More Mr Sivendra Michael Read More Mr Sujeet Kumar Read More Mr Thong Mengdavid Read More Mr Vidyadhar Anand Prabhudesai Read More Mr Vishal Rajput Read More Mr Won Deuk Cho Read More Mrs Sinduja Umandi Wickramasinghe Jayaratne Read More Ms Aakriti Sethi Read More Ms Aarshi Tirkey Read More Ms Anoosha Panwar Read More Ms Eerishika Pankaj Read More Ms Gayathri Iyer Read More Ms Irene Chan Read More Ms Jane Chan Read More Ms Khyati Singh Read More Ms Moitrayee Sengupta Read More Ms Munira Mustaffa Read More Ms Oorja Tapan Read More Ms Parul Bakshi Read More

EDITORIAL TEAM Executive Editor: Dr. Gaurav Saini Dr. Gaurav Saini is the co-founder and Head of Operations and Strategy at the Council for Strategic and Defense Research. Read More Editor-In-Chief: Dr. Happymon Jacob Dr. Happymon Jacob is the Founder and Director of the Council for Strategic and Defense Research. Read More Associate Editor: Amba Wattal Amba is a Program Associate at the Council for Strategic and Defense Research. Amba holds a Master’s in International Studies from Symbiosis International University, Pune. Read More

< Back Dr Sutandra Singha Dr. Sutandra Singha is an enthusiastic researcher who is engaged in research in the fields of climate change vulnerability and coping-adaptive capacity analysis, climate politics, sustainable development, and geopolitics in the context of developing countries. She had been affiliated with Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, from July 2010 to September 2021 to pursue her Post Graduation (Geography), M.Phil and Doctoral studies (Climate Change). She was awarded fellowships by the Indian Government (ICSSR and UGC) to pursue her research and also received fellowships by foreign universities to attend academic events in Norway, Brazil, Italy, Sri Lanka, Russia, and Germany. Through peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Sutandra has a track record of generating impactful and innovative solutions to address climate challenges. She has contributed a research paper to the geo-archive of the CLISEL Project, KTH Sweden (Horizon 2020). She served as one of the advisory board members of the Scopus indexed journal Geopolitics of Energy (Publisher: CERI, Alberta). Also, she had been an Expert Reviewer of Chapter 18: Climate Resilient Development Pathways, SOD WGII to the IPCC 6th Assessment Report. Dr. Sutandra aspires to be a distinguished researcher in the field of climate change and wants to collaborate with researchers belonging to different parts of the world. Publications ​ ​ ​

Item List READ THE OPINIONS AND VOICES OF OUR NETWORK MEMBERS HERE! LATEST WORK Dr Dhanasree Jayaram Treesa Shaju Intersectionality As The Key To Indo-Pacific Climate Action . . . Read More 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 cultura . . . Purvaja Modak 2024: Brazil’s G20 Year . . . Read More 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 e . . . Abhivardhan An Indo-Pacific Perspective on AI Safety . . . Read More 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 . . . Sanchari Ghosh IMEC Roadblocks: India's 'Look West' Maritime Vision Hits a Snag . . . Read More The strategic location of the Middle East at the crossroads of two continents - Asia and Europe, and India’s reliance on the Middle East for a substantial portion of its energy imports hold pivotal si . . . Dr Shelly Johny V. The Impact of A Probable Iran-Israel War On The Maritime Security of t . . . Read More The Persian Gulf region, more specifically the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz are maritime areas on the Iranian coast over which Iran has considerable naval influence. If Iran and Israel begin . . . Dr Shelly Johny V. The Impact Of A Probable Iran-Israel War On the Maritime Security of W . . . Read More Analysing the U.S. involvement in the region, this article focuses on the impact of a probable Iran-Israel war on the maritime security of West Asia. It will also delve into the likely consequences of . . . Mr Thong Mengdavid Understanding ASEAN Blue Economy and Cambodia’s Maritime Governance Ch . . . Read More Since the establishment of ASEAN in 1967, this regional organisation has rallied tremendous efforts to promote the ASEAN’s community- building, yet there are still numerous challenges such as territor . . . Mr Satria Rizaldi Alchatib Mapping Timor-Leste in ASEAN’s Indo-Pacific Outreach: Challenge or an . . . Read More Since its independence in 2002, Timor Leste had nurtured aspirations for an ASEAN membership. More recently, at the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia, ASEAN even adopted a roadmap for Timor Leste to beco . . . Parul Bakshi Japan Eyes More Nuclear Power for Energy Security . . . Read More Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has pushed Japan to reevaluate its energy strategy once again. . . . Don McLain Gill India’s G20 Presidency and the Future of Indian Leadership in Internat . . . Read More While multipolarity has increasingly become a buzzword among commentators of international politics. It is crucial to conceptually decipher what it practically means for India’s leadership and the fut . . . Dr. Kaustav Padmapati Taiwan’s Critical Position in the Indo-Pacific: Implications for India . . . Read More The year 2022 was quite eventful for Taiwan as China did not stop its bullying tactics against the island nation and it has been building up its military offensive against it. . . . Cyriac S Pampackal US Senate Resolution on Arunachal Pradesh: A Goodwill Gesture or an Ic . . . Read More The U.S. Senate's 75th Resolution is a potential icebreaker for the process of securitizing the Indo-Pacific, with the US and India as partnering stakeholders. . . . Ratih Indraswari 5O Years of Indonesia-ROK Relations: Challenges and Opportunities . . . Read More Indonesia and the Republic of Korea(ROK) welcome the 50th bilateral anniversary this year but there are some key issues that need to be addressed for their partnership to strengthen further. . . . Ms Sanchari Ghosh India's G20 Presidency: The Effectiveness Of Its Leadership Depends On . . . Read More India can use its one-year presidency to demonstrate that it is capable of leading a broadly divided G-20 to make decisive interventions for the benefit of developed and developing states alike. . . . Mr Arjun Gargeyas The Need for Quad as a Techno-democratic Alliance in the Indo-Pacific . . . Read More To check the Indo-Pacific region from becoming reliant on Chinese technology infrastructure, the Quad can collaborate to develop new technologies and produce substitutes for crucial ones that China ha . . . Dr Priya Suresh Key Takeaways from the 20th Party Congress: Its Implications for India . . . Read More The 20th Party Congress has come at a critical juncture as China embarks to construct a strong and modern socialist country. . . . Mr Aditya Singh Impact of India’s Leadership at G20 and SCO on the Indo-Pacific . . . Read More This article explores how India's ascension to a leadership role at both G20 and SCO can influence its presence in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. It also looks at some of the potential effects of . . . Dr Dhanasree Jayaram Ms Priyanka Jaiswal Can Loss and Damage Trigger Solidarity in the Indo-Pacific? . . . Read More Climate change-related extreme weather events have become the new normal in South Asia. In 2022 alone, the region witnessed a deadly heatwave (mainly in India and Pakistan) and catastrophic floods (th . . . Ms Munira Mustaffa Electoral Targeting: Lessons Learned from Digital Campaign Trails in S . . . Read More While electoral integrity, in the context of Southeast Asia, is frequently emphasised, the significance of election security preparedness in the region and the accompanying risks are not being address . . . Dr Gazala Fareedi Indo-Pacific Framework: Bridging the divide between the Global South a . . . Read More With the recent transfer of the G20 Presidency from Indonesia to India, there has been a renewed focus on the Global South. As a voice for the Global South as well as a member of the Indo-Pacific fram . . . Anurag Mishra & Paras Ratna What do the Midterm Results mean for the US Foreign Policy? . . . Read More A peculiar feature of American democracy is that it has an election every two years. The constitutional exercise, however, does not have the thunder of a presidential election as it produces little c . . . Dr. Angana Guha Roy Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy: An Overview . . . Read More As more and more powers jockey for influence in the Indo-Pacific, Canada launched its long-awaited Indo-Pacific strategy implicating a shift in its foreign policy agenda. . . . Dr Choong Pui Yee Malaysia's Foreign Policy under Anwar Ibrahim: Continuities and Prosp . . . Read More After years of being the prime minister-designate, Anwar Ibrahim finally become the Prime Minister of Malaysia after the 15th general election held in November 2022.As Malaysia opens a new chapter und . . . Abhivardhan Explainable AI for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific . . . Read More While governments in the Indo-Pacific region including India focus on strengthening digital public infrastructure and emphasize on the need to develop Responsible AI ethics practices, shifting to deve . . . Manoj Kewalramani Quad Needs a More Near-Term, Outcomes-Focussed Approach . . . Read More Ever since its revitalisation, the Quad grouping, comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia, has evolved an ambitious agenda. Over the past two years, the Quad has established six leader-level wor . . . Ms Parul Bakshi Powerhouse: clean energy transitions in the Indo-Pacific . . . Read More With a global energy crisis underway due to rising prices, coupled with a forecast of a harsh northern hemisphere winter and supply volatility brought on by the Russia–Ukraine war, all eyes are on the . . . Purvaja Modak Understanding/Evaluating the Indo Pacific Economic Framework . . . Read More The Indo Pacific region is emerging as the new theatre of command today with countries coming together to ensure a free, open, fair, inclusive, interconnected, resilient, secure, and prosperous region . . . Jay Maniyar The Assertiveness of Chinese Foreign Policy under Xi Jinping . . . Read More The President of the Peoples’ Republic of China, PRC, is the incredibly powerful, assertive, uncompromising, and permanent Xi Jinping. China’s foreign policy has witnessed a noticeable climbing nation . . . Lucy Alexander A Comparative Study Media Systems in India and Japan . . . Read More Media in every country is entwined with politics, international relations, culture, and history. Its functioning is primarily determined by the type of government, with different degrees of control or . . . Parul Bakshi Japan’s Missing Nuclear Energy Policy . . . Read More The urgent global need to meet climate ambitions, growing uncertainty about securing vital energy resources due to the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict and the inability of renewable resources to meet . . . Oorja Tapan Does India Need a New Indo-Pacific Strategy? . . . Read More The reception of the Indo-Pacific as a strategic construct adjoining the contiguous waters of the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean has gained traction in recent years with the swing of the geopoli . . . Anurag Mishra Biden’s Healing Plan: Where is it? . . . Read More As Joe Biden ascended to the Presidency, he sent waves across America and the world that gave people “hope.” In the challenging times when the world faced the most devastating health crisis, America h . . . Aakriti Sethi ASEAN: The Missing Piece in US’ Indo Pacific Strategy . . . Read More During the Bush and Obama administration, ASEAN’s role in America’s Asia policy was elevated as White House was successful in recognizing its wider importance within and beyond the region. Apart from . . . Dr. Vilashini Somiah Do Maritime Policies Matter to Those Living at Sea? . . . Read More In the study of Maritime Southeast Asia, scholars would unpack the historical and contemporary importance of water bodies from historical, sociological, cultural, political, and economic perspectives. . . . Dr Benjamin Yew Hoong Loh Fighting disinformation with media literacy in Southeast Asia . . . Read More In early May 2022, Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos Junior won the Philippines presidential election with an overwhelming victory. This was a shocking result as his father was responsible for plunging the . . . Mr Paras Ratna Operationalizing the Indo-Pacific framework . . . Read More Be it China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or the Build Back Better World (B3W) initiative, geopolitical contestations are increasingly getting manifested through overseas assistance and infrastruct . . . Dr. Niloy Biswas Maritime Migration in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean: A dire n . . . Read More The Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean are historical maritime routes for both South and South-East Asia. Recently, these have emerged as routes for intra-Asian and trans-regional movements of people, . . . Mr Gazi Hassan India in Indo-Pacific amidst emerging developments. . . . Read More 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-Pa . . . Dr. Nansi Paulraj Russian Military offensive: The Revisionist Agenda and the Ripple Effe . . . Read More Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, termed Special Military Operations (Invasion) started on 24th February 2022. The reason for this is to protec . . . Mr Angshuman Choudhury How Could Russia’s War in Ukraine Intensify the Geopolitical Tussle in . . . Read More The Russia-Ukraine crisis has given a whole new context to global affairs. As one of the most polarising events of this century so far, it has widened latent geopolitical fissures and possibly created . . . Ms Kritika Roy Chinese campaigns increasingly targeting India’s Cyberspace . . . Read More China-nexus threat actors have been called out for their pertinent snooping and espionage campaigns that are aligned with the country’s national interest. Their espionage activities are global and are . . . Ms. Eerishika Pankaj Charting the Quad’s Bilateral Way Forward . . . Read More As the next Quad summit draws close – presently scheduled for May 2022 – the remarkable growth of the grouping in the past five years is worthy of recap. Its future, however, remains increasingly depe . . . Dr Lina Gong Collective HADR Responses in the Indo-Pacific: Additional Mechanisms i . . . Read More The emergence of new regional mechanisms such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad and the Lancang Mekong Cooperation offer additional mechanisms to strengthen collective response and comple . . . Dr Yatharth Kachiar and Shankar Narayan S Reflections on the Battle for Elysée Palace and Future Impacts on the . . . Read More French national elections do not stir much euphoria in a geographically far away region like the Indo-Pacific. During the election phase in France, foreign policy issues have largely taken a backseat. . . . Dr Hasith Kandaudahewa Towards a Fragile State: Economic Crisis in Sri Lanka . . . Read More The people of Sri Lanka are typically considered a friendly and peaceful community who belong to a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious group Yet, two weeks ago, the people of Sri Lanka re . . . Dr. Ladhu Ram Choudhary The Quad and Aggressive Chinese Military Threat . . . Read More The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue is becoming more vibrant and vocal to achieve shared vision of liberal international order – nurturing democratic political governance, strengthening market driven . . . Dr. Medha Bisht "Seeing" the Indo-Pacific and Questions of Strategic Judgement . . . Read More How does one ‘see’ the Indo-Pacific amidst the multiple strategic configurations that the Ocean is witnessing? Given the salience of the issue, it is important that one reckons with some essential bui . . . Dr. Christian Wagner The Indo-Pacific – a European Perspective . . . Read More The Indo-Pacific will be the main theatre in the emerging systemic rivalry between the United States and China. This has also initiated a fundamental change in Europe’s perception of the region. . . . Dr. Ashok Alex Luke India’s concern over China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific . . . Read More The Indo-Pacific is likely to be the new area of contestation as China’s growing footprint and influence in the Indian Ocean region had created concerns for the United States, India and their allies o . . . Dr. Shofwan Al Banna Choiruzzad Great Powers and the Importance of Listening in International Politics . . . Read More In today’s world where scary dragons, eagles, bears, and elephants (and sometimes octopuses) regularly appear in magazine covers or articles’ illustrations when they discuss international politics, it . . . Know about the submission guidelines. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

STEERING COMMITTEE Lt. Gen. Hooda (Retd) Lt. Gen. Hooda (Retd) is a Co-founder and Director of the Centre for Defense and Security of the Council for Strategic and Defense Research. Lt. Gen. Hooda was commissioned into the 4th Battalion of the 4th Gorkha Rifles in 1976 and initially served in Nagaland during the peak of insurgency. Read More Dr. Happymon Jacob Dr. Happymon Jacob is the Founder and Honourary Director of the Council for Strategic and Defense Research. Dr Jacob is Associate Professor of Diplomacy and Disarmament at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Read More

OUR TEAM Gaurav Saini Amba Wattal Devika Makkat

OUR MENTORS Adm. Anil Kumar Chawla (Retd.) Adm. Anil Kumar Chawla (Retd.) served as the 28th Flag Officer Commanding- in-Chief, of the Southern Naval Command. He also served as the Indian Navy’s Chief of Personnel in 2016-18. Read More ​Dr. Toby Dalton ​Dr. Toby Dalton is Co-Director of the Nuclear Policy Program, and Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He has formerly been a staff member in the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. TDalton@ceip.org Read More Prof. C. Raja Mohan Prof. C. Raja Mohan is a visiting research professor at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. He was also the Founding Director of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, India. isascrm@nus.edu.sg Read More Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd) Through most of his 40 year illustrious career General Hasnain has served in turbulent environment and hot spots. From Sri Lanka to Siachen Glacier, from the North East to Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), and in UN operations from Mozambique to Rwanda, he has seen it all in crucial appointments. Read More Dr. Bec Strating Dr. Bec Strating is the Executive Director of La Trobe Asia and a Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, in the Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy at La Trobe University in Melbourne. B.Strating@latrobe.edu.au Read More Prof. Anne-Marie Brady Prof. Anne-Marie Brady teaches Political Science at the University of Canterbury, and is an expert on Chinese politics. A fluent Mandarin speaker, she is also a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington DC. anne-marie.brady@canterbury.ac.nz Read More Capt. Sarabjeet S Parmar Capt Sarabjeet S Parmar was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 July 1987 and retired on 30 June 2023. He has been a Research Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses and worked in the Indian Navy’s strategic apex level offices. He has written and spoken extensively on maritime security and strategy issues at various national and international conferences and his main areas of research include national and maritime strategy and security related aspects in the Indo-Pacific, piracy, HADR, and international maritime law with a focus on lawfare. Read More Dr Rajeswari Rajagopalan Dr. Rajeswari (Raji) Pillai Rajagopalan is the Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy &; Technology (CSST) at the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi. Dr. Rajagopalan was the Technical Advisor to the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Prevention of Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS) (July 2018-July 2019). She was also a Non- Resident Indo-Pacific Fellow at the Perth USAsia Centre from April-December 2020. Read More Dr. Christian Wagner Dr. Christian Wagner is a Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Berlin. Formerly, he was also a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Development Research, University of Bonn. christian.wagner@swp-berlin.org Read More Amb. Shivshankar Menon Amb. Shivshankar Menon served as India’s Foreign Secretary in 2006-09 and subsequently as its fourth National Security Advisor. A career diplomat, he is among India’s foremost foreign policy experts. Read More Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda (Retd.) Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda (Retd.), served as an Officer in the Indian Army, and retired as Northern Army Commander in 2016. He has vast experience in counter-insurgency and crisis-management at the strategic level. dhooda@csdronline.org Read More Amb. Rakesh Sood Amb. Rakesh Sood is veteran of the Indian Foreign Service, having held posts including India’s Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament, and the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non – Proliferation. Read More Lieutenant General Raj Shukla In a career spanning over four decades in the Indian Army, Lieutenant General Raj Shukla has seen extensive service in the field - he commanded a Medium Regiment in the Eastern / Desert Theatres, an Infantry Brigade in Counter Insurgency Operations, an Infantry Division along the Line of Control in the Kashmir Valley and a Pivot Corps along the Western Borders. Read More Dr. Sinderpal Singh Dr. Sinderpal Singh Senior Fellow and Coordinator of the South Asia Programme at the Nanyang Technological University. He was formerly also a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University Singapore. issinderpal@ntu.edu.sgUniversity of Singapore. Read More Nitin Pai Mr Nitin Pai is co-founder and director of the Takshashila Institution, an independent centre for research and education in public policy based in Bangalore. His research includes cyber and space power, Indo-Pacific geopolitics, and defence economics. Read More