West Asia Conference

The Asian Security Conference (ASC) is a major calendar event of the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), New Delhi which is organized in early spring each year. Since 1999 when the conference was first held, it has become an important forum for debating issues relating to Asian Security. The ASC provides an opportunity for policy makers, scholars and security analysts, both from India and abroad, to share their views on the security challenges facing the continent. The contemporary strategic context is increasingly defined by the rapid growth of major Asian economies and the rapidly increasing interest the major powers are evincing in the region. It has also resulted in a perceptible shift in power to the Asian continent. While the emerging power shift is full of promise and opportunities, there are important concerns that cannot be ignored. Asia’s statesmen face a variety of challenges, which, if ignored or viewed with less concern, could lead to further instability and insecurity in the region. In this backdrop the ASC looks at various emerging trends and changes in the Asian security context and forms a platform for discussion and debate. The ASC serves as the best available vehicle in the Asian region for developing and channeling astute and effective public policy on defence and security. It can also be regarded as an important academic platform for scholars to discuss new ideas and theories.