Occasional Papers

Egypt’s Uneasy Transition: Internal and External Dynamics and Challenges for India

Amidst the ‘Arab Spring’ nations, the most keenly watched and followed developments have been in Egypt. Being one of the largest Arab nations, lynchpin of peace treaty with Israel, key US ally and a nation of potent and modern armed forces, Egypt deserved the attention. And so, the success or otherwise of the Arab revolutions hinged on the success or failure in Egypt. However the transition in Egypt has been far from smooth so far.

Evolution of African Maritime Security: Imperatives, Governance and Challenges

In an African context, the process of developing an agenda for maritime security has been relatively new despite the continent being completely surrounded by water. For long periods of time, African nations tended to be labelled as ‘sea blind,’ which implied that they ignored the vital importance of their waters and the maritime domain.

How ASEAN Media Portrays India: Insights into the Construction of Media Text

This research paper analyses the media landscapes of ASEAN countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines, and explores the interplay between political structures, economic interests, and regulatory frameworks. Despite political changes in the region, media freedom in Southeast Asia remains precarious.

How Dharma Shapes Strategic Thought On War in the Mahabharata

The Occasional Paper employs the dharmic viewpoint of the Mahabharata to derive the fundamental elements of ancient Indian strategic thought. It evaluates the role of dharma as it shapes war as a defining element of strategic thought.

From Looks to Action: Thailand-India Strategic Convergence and Defence Cooperation

After 67 years of diplomatic relations and two decades of collaboration in connecting India with Southeast Asia in January of 2012, Thailand and India finally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation. This effort to deepen defence and military ties between the two countries emerged relatively late when compared with those between India and most other Southeast Asian countries.

China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC): The Project and its Prospects

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been earmarked as a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which is described as Chinese President Xi Jinping's signature foreign policy initiative and a grand strategy aimed at restoring China's “rightful'' great-power status in the world. It is a major plank in China's geo-strategic and economic architecture for the region, using Pakistan to secure an exploitative strategic perch in South Asia and the Arabian Sea, overlooking the crucial Persian Gulf, the west coast of India, and the east coast of Africa.

Deterrence in the Shadow of Terror: US Nuclear Weapons Policy in the Aftermath of 9/11

The paper assesses that in the aftermath of 9/11, efforts to improve and sustain the potency of US nuclear arsenal are far more pertinent than efforts to reduce their salience.

Change in India-US Diplomatic Practices – An Interim Report

During the last dozen years or so, the Indian and American governments have instituted broad policy changes aimed at turning their bilateral relationship into some form of strategic partnership.

Makran Gateways: A Strategic Reference for Gwadar and Chabahar

The spirit of 'Connectivity', a salient motif in early-twenty first century international relations (IR), has provided an amenable context for a review of geo-determinism in IR theory and the defence of classical geopolitical models as analytical frameworks. No contemporary case study is perhaps more admissible in this regard than the scramble for connectivity leadership in Central and South Asia.

India’s Unfinished Security Revolution

This paper argues that internal security reforms are crucial not only for India's own security and that of its immediate neighbourhood, but also for its rise as an Asian and world power.