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< Back Dr Choong Pui Yee Choong Pui Yee is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Southeast Asian Studies at University of Malaysia. She teaches ASEAN regionalism and Politics and Governance of Southeast Asia. Her research interests include social movements, contentious politics, Malaysia's domestic politics, and security issues in Southeast Asia. Prior to her current position, has held a research position at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, and had served as a Senior Analyst and Coordinator of the History and Regional Studies Programme at Penang Institute, Malaysia. She has also served as the Head of Research of a think tank affiliated with a political party in Malaysia. Pui Yee has published several commentaries and book chapters on political issues in Malaysia. Besides that, she has also worked on several state government projects where she provided policy recommendations for the state government. Publications

< Back Dr Medha Bisht Medha Bisht is an Assistant Professor at the Department of International Relations, South Asian University, New Delhi. She was formerly a Fellow at the South Asia Centre, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. She completed her PhD in Diplomatic Studies, at the Centre for International Politics, Organisation and Disarmament, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Her articles on strategic thought, Indian foreign policy, Bhutan, and Women’s Movements, have appeared in journals such as the Hague Journal of Diplomacy, the Journal of the Indian Ocean Region, and Asian Affairs. Her most recent book is titled, ‘Kautilya’s Arthashastra: Philosophy of Strategy’, published by Routledge in 2019. Publications Taliban Talks to “International Community”: https://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/taliban-talks-to-international-community-medhabhist-030921 Chinese Inroads into Bhutan: Diplomatic Gimmick or Strategic Reality?: https://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/ChineseInroadsintoBhutan_mbisht_140812 Dams in Arunachal Pradesh: Between Development Debates and Strategic Dimensions: https://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/DamsinArunachalPradesh_mbisht_010210

955d0334-27fe-4c38-940e-97ebbc3de35a < All op-eds Collective HADR Responses in the Indo-Pacific: Additional Mechanisms in the Making? Dr Lina Gong This blog originally appeared as an online publication for the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) at Nanyang Technical University, Singapore. It has been republished with the consent of both RSIS and the author, Dr Lina Gong. SYNOPSIS 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 complement the role of ASEAN in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the Indo-Pacific. The respective designs of these new mechanisms nevertheless raise important questions over the extent to which they will contribute to deepening collective disaster response. COMMENTARY Natural hazards pose significant threats to the Indo-Pacific. In 2021, the region accounted for nearly half of disaster-induced fatalities and 23% of economic losses in the world. Climate change adds to the risks facing the region as climate extremes are projected to increase in frequency and severity. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has further strained personnel, resources and logistics in disaster responses. These trends highlight the need to strengthen regional militaries’ capacity for collective response in the area of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR). Military involvement in disaster response is common in this region and foreign military assistance is requested when national military assets are inadequate. Success and Constraints of the ASEAN Model The ASEAN countries have built a multi-layered network to support collective response to disasters in the region. Established institutions and platforms contribute to better communication and coordination on HADR issues. Relying on its convenient location in the region and network of international liaison officers, the Changi Regional HADR Coordination Centre ( RHCC ) hosted by Singapore was launched in 2014 to enhance regional coordination in HADR. The RHCC shares information to facilitate informed deployment-related decision-making on the part of partner militaries and avoid duplication when a disaster strikes across the wider region. Platforms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)–Plus have facilitated multi-level engagement on HADR issues between ASEAN and its dialogue partners since the 1990s through regular meetings and workshops as well as joint training and exercises . These activities help connect focal points of contact from different countries and sectors, including military forces, government agencies, regional and international organisations, and humanitarian agencies, to foster a regional network of disaster relief. However, it is necessary to recognise the difficulty for ASEAN to go beyond a facilitative role. Currently, collective response takes the form of multiple bilateral responses, as seen during the Palu earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia in 2018. Eighteen countries deployed assets through direct coordination with the Indonesian military forces, while the RHCC Centre was not utilised. The same pattern was seen in military responses to COVID-19 in the region, with one military delivering critical medical supplies and vaccines to another bilaterally. It shows the ASEAN countries’ preference for dealing with military HADR interactions primarily by themselves with some engagement through regional mechanisms, an approach that ultimately limits the depth of HADR cooperation in the region. A more regionalised response to HADR under the ASEAN banner can contribute further to enhancing the speed and efficiency of coordination and deployment. The discussions for the establishment of an ASEAN Militaries Ready Group on HADR since 2015 can be seen as a step in this direction. Quad and LMC as Alternatives: Potential and Uncertainty Although the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) and the Lancang Mekong Cooperation (LMC) are relatively new and under-institutionalised mechanisms, compared with ASEAN, the two arrangements have the potential both in resources and capabilities to be more operational. The Quad, consisting of Australia, India, Japan and the United States, evolved from the core group of relief nations after the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and was revived by the participating countries in 2017. Motivated by the need to contain the growing influence of China, the revived Quad is now primarily a cooperative mechanism for traditional security concerns. However, all four countries are key HADR providers in the Indo-Pacific and have mature bilateral or trilateral military partnerships, which reduce common concerns in HADR operations, such as interoperability, communication and logistics at the country-to-country level. Interoperability between the United States and Australia as well as Japan is high due to their long-standing security alliances. Australia and Japan signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement in January 2022, which deepens bilateral security cooperation, including in HADR. Interoperability between the Indian military and the other three is increasing as Australia and Japan have been invited to join India’s Malabar naval exercise , which started in 1992 on a bilateral basis between India and the United States. As Australia, India and Japan are located in different subregions of the Indo-Pacific, and the United States has an extensive military presence across the region, logistics for collective responses under the Quad framework is not likely to face major constraints. However, the place of HADR on the Quad agenda is unclear. The Quad Leaders’ Joint Statement adopted in March 2021 pledged to respond to an array of global challenges, including HADR. However, it disappeared in the joint statement of September 2021. Following the unfolding crisis in Ukraine, the four leaders indicated an interest in establishing a regional mechanism for HADR . These changes possibly suggest that areas in direct competition with Beijing are viewed with higher urgency and importance, such as COVID-19 and emerging technologies. The wavering attitude to HADR raises uncertainty over the Quad’s sustained commitment and investment in collective response. In addition, despite the common goal, the calculations of the four countries on HADR deployment do not necessarily always converge as some may still prefer bilateral assistance over collective response under the Quad banner on some occasions. It remains to be seen how the HADR mechanism within the Quad will balance the diverging interests and concerns of the four participating countries. The LMC, which involves Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, was launched in 2016 in Sanya, China. Disaster response is not among its founding five priorities of connectivity, production capacity, cross-border economic cooperation, water resources, and agriculture and poverty reduction; however, it has appeared in recent declarations. The LMC is not designed as an HADR provider, evident in the fact that it did not provide emergency relief to the LMC counties hit by deadly floods in November 2020. Instead, China provided bilateral aid to the affected countries through its embassies. The declaration following the third LMC leaders’ meeting in August 2020 specified the emergencies for which humanitarian assistance will be provided, which include floods, droughts and landslides. As such, it can be assumed that HADR within the LMC context is broadly linked to water management. The declaration also pledged to strengthen “collective response” to future public health emergencies. The motivations for the LMC fundamentally differ from the two aforementioned platforms, yet HADR now makes it into the LMC’s declarations. First, the LMC is primarily intended to enhance socio-economic cooperation , even though political and security cooperation is one of the three pillars. Geographically, its focus is on the Mekong subregion. Second, China is obviously the most resourceful and capable provider due to its size and clout as an external partner for HADR efforts. The LMC region has been a priority area in China’s active diplomacy during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a special fund for public health established in 2020 to support infectious disease control in the subregion. In the past two years, Beijing has deployed military medical teams and donated vaccines to its LMC counterparts through the Chinese Defence Ministry. These bilateral activities have been listed as examples of cooperation under LMC. They significantly outnumber the bilateral interactions between other LMC countries tracked by the LMC secretariat. The power imbalance between the LMC countries can be a double-edged sword for possible collective action under the LMC banner, and differentiating LMC responses from China’s own diplomatic offensive is crucial. Conclusion The proliferation of multilateral mechanisms can potentially benefit HADR by broadening the sources of personnel, capabilities and resources. However, ASEAN’s experience shows the difficulty in moving towards meaningful collective response in HADR in multilateral contexts. As the Quad and LMC were not revived/established for humanitarian purposes and do not have clearly defined arrangements for collective responses, their collective action in HADR, other than in the form of joint exercises, are likely to be ad hoc at best. 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 Madhumati Deshpande Madhumati Deshpande is currently serving as Department Coordinator, and Assistant Professor, at the Department of International Studies, Political Science, and History, Christ University, Bangalore. She holds a PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and has formerly worked as an Editor at Springer Reference Works, New Delhi. She has also been a Graduate Assistant, at the Carter Center, Atlanta, in its Democracy Program. She has published research articles on Indian politics, influence of religion on foreign policy, India-Sri-Lanka relations, and maritime policies, among others. Publications Scrutinizing the Indo-China Issue with Dr Madhumati Deshpande https://www.thepolitindia.com/post/scrutinizing-the-indo-china-issue-with-dr-madhumati-deshpande

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). < Back 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). Prior to joining JNU in 2008, he held teaching positions at the University of Jammu in J&K and Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi; and research positions at the Centre for Air Power Studies, Delhi Policy Group, and Observer Research Foundation. Dr Jacob is an elected member of the Pugwash Council since 2013. He is the author of Line on Fire: Ceasefire Violations and India-Pakistan Escalation Dynamics (Oxford University Press, 2019), and Line of Control: Traveling with the Indian and Pakistani Armies (Penguin Viking 2018). His concurrent engagements with the Indian media include a column with The Hindu and hosting of weekly video show on national security on The Wire.In.

< Back Dr Nanda Kishor Dr. Nanda Kishor M S is an Associate Professor at Department of Politics and International Studies, Pondicherry University and formerly Head, Department of Geopolitics and International Relations and Coordinator of Centre for Polish and Central European Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal. He holds an M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Political Science from Hyderabad Central University (HCU), Hyderabad, India and completed Postdoc at the University of Leiden, Netherlands, with ERASMUS MUNDUS Fellowship from the European Union. He has been teaching Geopolitics of West Asia, India’s Foreign Policy, Concept of War and Peace in Geopolitics, Terrorism and Asymmetric Conflicts. Dr. Kishor has been working on conflict resolution, West Asia (Middle East), refugees and international law. He was a recipient of the Short-Term Junior Research Fellowship from UNHCR, Brookings, Government of Finland and MCRG (Kolkata). He visited Hochschule University of Applied Sciences, Bremen, Germany, on a short-term fellowship by the DAAD sponsored program of HS Bremen in 2012. He was part of the International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) by the United States during June-July 2013. He is a Senior Fellow at Defence Research and Studies (DRaS) in India, Non-Resident Fellow of Middle East Institute New Delhi, Advisor and Subject Expert for COVINTS, a Bangalore based Risk Analyst Company, Analyst at Islamic Theology of Counter-Terrorism (London), Visiting Fellow to AIDIA (Kathmandu), was Features Editor (Security Studies) of Science, Technology and Security forum (MARG-MAHE). He has several publications in journals and edited volumes. Publications

< Back Dr Justin Joseph Justin Joseph is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, GITAM (Deemed to be University) Hyderabad. Previously, He was the head of the Department of Political Science, at Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai. Dr Joseph Obtained his Ph.D. in Politics and International Relations from IIT Madras. He was awarded the ‘General Scholar Fellowship’ by the Ministry of Human Resources and Development, Government of India and the Ministry of Education, Government of the People's Republic of China, for conducting PhD fieldwork in China from September 2017 to July 2018. He was a visiting scholar at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) and Shanghai University in 2016 and 2017 respectively. He has published his works in journals such as China Report, Environment Development and Sustainability, Risk Hazards and Crisis in Public Policy and Fudan Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences. He serves the scholarly community through his capacity as a reviewer for Oxford University Press, Elsevier, Springer and Wiley journals. He is also a Co-Principal Investigator for an on-going ICSSR-funded research project on the economy-ecology dichotomy in India and China (IIT Madras). Publications Joseph, J., (2023). State, Society and Environmental Security in International Relations Theory. Fudan Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Springer Nature Publications https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40647-022-00363-9#article-info Joseph, J., & Karackattu, J. T. (2022). Public protests and environmental policy making: Xiamen anti-PX protests in China and civic movement against Kodaikanal Mercury poisoning in India. Risk, Hazards and Crisis in Public Policy, Wiley Publications https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rhc3.12251 Joseph, J., & Karackattu, J. T. (2022). State actions and the environment: examining the concept of ecological security in China. Environment, Development and Sustainability, Springer Nature Publications https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10668-021-01982-0

< Back Mr Sivendra Michael Sivendra Michael is a Pacific development practitioner with over 10 years’ experience in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction fields. His skills range from managing, and coordinating regional projects and, providing technical advisory. Publications

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. < Back 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. As a Major General, he was responsible for counter-insurgency operations in Manipur and South Assam. From 2012 to 2016, Lt. Gen. Hooda was stationed in Jammu and Kashmir and retired as the Army Commander of Northern Command in 2016. During this time, he handled numerous strategic challenges that emerged on the borders with Pakistan and China. Lt. Gen. Hooda has been awarded the Vasishta Seva Medal (twice), the Ati Vasishta Seva Medal, the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal for his exemplary military service. In 2019 Lt. Gen. Hooda authored a comprehensive National Security Strategy document. He is one of India’s foremost commentators on India’s national security

< Back Mr Gazi Hassan Gazi Hassan is a Research Scholar at the Centre for Public Policy Research, Kerala. He holds an MPhil from Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi. He has authored articles for several local newspapers such as Rising Kashmir, Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Reader, and for online media platforms such as The Quint, International Policy Digest, and Foreign Policy News. He has also authored several publications focusing on topics including the conflict in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, and India’s foreign policy, for institutions such as the Vivekananda International Foundation and CPPR. Publications Complexities of China-Australia Relations: https://www.cppr.in/articles/complexities-of-china-australia-relations Afghanistan’s Stability Hinges on Regional Consensus on Peace Process: https://www.cppr.in/articles/afghanistans-stability-hinges-on-regional-consensus-on-peace-process India and UAE Need to Strengthen Economic Ties: https://www.cppr.in/articles/india-and-uae-need-to-strengthen-economic-ties

< Back Ms Shereen Sherif Shereen Sherif is currently pursuing her PhD in International Relations with a specialization in Diplomacy and Disarmament, at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. She has formerly served as a Research Associate at the Teresian Centre for Research and Development, Ernakulam, a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Public Policy Research, and a Research Associate at the National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi. Her research interests include ancient, medieval and modern Indian history, maritime history, national identities, postcolonial theory, oral history, and strategic and security studies. Her work has been published in journals such as International Studies, and the Maritime Affairs Journal. Publications International Fleet Reviews: Showcasing India's Naval Orientation https://maritimeindia.org/international-fleet-reviews-showcasing-indias-naval-orientation/ Local Actors as Force Multipliers: Lessons from Operation Madad in Kerala: https://www.cppr.in/articles/local-actors-as-force-multipliers-lessons-from-operation-madad-in-kerala Vietnam’s Dilemma in Context of South China Sea: United States versus China: https://www.maritimeindia.org/View%20Profile/636027505454881723.pdf

< 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