Strategic Studies

Building Vibrant Research Culture through ETDs

2023-11-18T23:56:00.000-08:00

Nanotechnology: The Emerging Field for Future Military Applications | Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

2016-01-11T23:33:00.001-08:00

Nanotechnology: The Emerging Field for Future Military Applications | Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

Nanotechnology is an area of science and technology that holds highly promising prospects for military applications, considering its wide applicability in defensive as well as offensive operations. Given the research and development (R&D) efforts being made in this field by a large number of countries, new products with much superior properties in terms of performance and durability are likely to be realized very soon. The most important aspect of nanotechnology-enabled products is the miniaturization of devices and the diverse functionalities that can be integrated within a singular system. Accordingly, the most profound applications in the future will be realized for the war fighter. Whether it is a battle suit integrated with sensors for nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) weapons protection, bullet injuries and monitoring of vital body parameters, nanotechnology will find its application in camouflage and concealment, weapons, communication, and situational awareness in the battlefield. This monograph traces the R&D initiatives being undertaken in this field, followed by specific applications which are relevant for the Indian defence forces. It also attempts to foresee how nanotechnology-enabled applications are likely to impact the future battlefield.

http://idsa.in/system/files/monograph/monograph48.pdf

The US Factor in Sino-Indian Relations: India's Fine Balancing

2016-01-11T23:05:00.002-08:00

In the narrative of India-China-US triangular relations, the United States occupies some degree of strategic space notwithstanding the fact that Sino-Indian relations, like Sino-US relations, or for that matter, Indo-US relations have their own dynamics and imperatives. The monograph seeks to determine the extent to which the US is a factor as an intervening variable in the complex relationship between the two countries. The study attempts to probe the research question as to how China perceives U.S policy towards India in particular, and whether growing Indo-US ties can affect China's security interest negatively. Related to this research question is how India is trying to calibrate its relationship with both USA and China, and how far India has been successful in this endeavour in the context of strategic distrust and security dilemma between both the countries.
http://idsa.in/system/files/monograph/monograph46.pdf

India’s Approach to Asia: Strategy, Geopolitics and Responsibility | Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

2016-01-11T22:50:00.001-08:00

India’s Approach to Asia: Strategy, Geopolitics and Responsibility | Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

Core Concerns in Indian Defence and the Imperatives for Reforms

2015-05-14T00:40:00.000-07:00

India's current defence imperatives transcend the ideeological 'defence vs. butter' debate. Even while there may be no profound existential concerns, the geo-political reality of a deeply troubled neighbourhood, long legacy of border disputes with neighbours in the north and west and a widening spectrum of potential warfare from conventional and strategic to the asymmetric can be ignored at our own peril. Given the current capability gaps and infrastructure inadequacies, India requires a far more focussed pursuit of the objective of comprehensive national power with an optimal blend of fully deterrent state-of-the-art and readily deployable capabilities potentially on more than one front. Likely out-of-area contingencies and our legitimate aspirations as an emerging regional and world power further fuel this need.

While there has been a significant stepping up of the public discourse in the recent years on the myriad concerns in defence, there is precious little in the public realm on the hard core issues confronting defence decision - makers in critical areas such as the long range geo-strategic environment, higher defence management and civil military relations, defence industrialisation, acquisition, research and development, logistics, manpower, planning, financial management and oversight.

Possibly for the first time ever, this book seeks to put together the perceptions, views and recommendations of a host of past practitioners at the highest level from the civil and military bureaucracy who have had some unmatched insights into the complex world of Indian Defence and its decision-making structures and processes. For obvious reasons, the cause of reliable, efficient, and affordable defence brooks no further delay in terms of a potent capability basket encompassing the land, sea, air, space and cyber-space domains. This would call for some long overdue reforms covering organisations, policies and processes to enhance professionalism, synergies arising from jointness, drastically curtail decision - making time frames, and, above all, enforce accountability for the attainment of stated goals. Hopefully, this book would contribute in some measure to this worthy task.

http://www.idsa.in/system/files/Book_CoreConcernsinIndianDefence.pdf

Realising the ASEAN-India Vision for Partnership and Prosperity

2015-05-14T00:36:00.004-07:00

This volume is based on the proceedings of Delhi Dialogue VI held in March 2014. It epitomizes the growing dialogue between India and ASEAN at all levels. Delhi Dialogue brings together practitioners, corporate leaders, opinion makers, academics and journalists, every year, to discuss a wide range of issues of common interest and concern that animate India - ASEAN relationship . Discussions held at the Delhi Dialogue, subsequent to ASEAN Commemorative issuing the ‘Vision Statement’ in 2012, provide a good insight into the likely scenarios and possible trends in the post-2015 era.

http://www.idsa.in/system/files/book_DelhiDialogue7.pdf

India and South Asia: Exploring Regional Perceptions

2015-05-14T00:33:00.001-07:00

Perceptions play a very significant role in South Asian politics. They have largely shaped and influenced state policies and politics among the South Asian countries, especially in relation to India, over the years. State policies have at times been hostage to negative or adversarial perceptions, well-entrenched in the popular psyche. The perception formation in South Asia is an extremely dynamic process and has evolved differently in different countries. Perceptions are not static and often change with the shift in domestic as well as regional and global politics. There are myriad stakeholders—with diverse sectional interests—explicitly or implicitly shaping and influencing perceptions among countries in South Asia.

This book comprising sixteen chapters, contributed by scholars from all the South Asian countries, seeks to identify and examine the various strands of (mis)perception prevalent particularly vis-à-vis India; and its various causal factors ranging from conflicting historical memories to contesting national identities, and growing intellectual disconnect to diverging geo-strategic imperatives. The role of the media and the growing Chinese thrust in the region has also been discussed.

The way forward illustrated in the form of key recommendations has both academic and policy relevance.

http://www.idsa.in/system/files/book_IndiaandSouthAsia.pdf

The Unfinished War in Afghanistan: 2001-2014

2015-01-16T01:26:00.001-08:00

This book makes a modest attempt to contribute to the ongoing debate on future challenges for Afghanistan as the largest ever coalition of Western forces prepares to withdraw. It seeks to examine key political developments within Afghanistan over the last one decade in response to the US-led Western military and political intervention. Perhaps, much more is still to come in a war that could aptly be termed as the last big war of the twentieth and first long war of the twenty-first century. The emerging social and political narratives are unmistakably old and echo the sentiments of the past. Though a 'New Afghanistan' has emerged in the meanwhile, it remains fundamentally an urban phenomenon. The diversity of narratives and perceptions, and failure of past political transitions to build a sustainable internal balance of power, based on changed social and political realities, have turned Afghanistan into a complex entity that defies established theoretical formulations and explanations. The evolving security and political scenario suggests that elections alone may not help bring stability and order to Afghanistan. The next dispensation in Kabul, irrespective of its composition, is most likely to be confronted with a host of old and familiar challenges to its legitimacy and survival.

http://www.idsa.in/system/files/book_warinafghanistan.pdf

The Other Kashmir: Society, Culture and Politics in the Karakoram Himalayas K. Warikoo

2014-11-12T23:14:00.002-08:00

The Karakoram Himalayas have unique geo-political and geo-strategic importance as the boundaries of South and Central Asian countries converge here. Abutting the borders of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and India and being situated in close proximity to Central Asia, the Karakoram-Himalayan region has been an important constituent of India's trans-Himalayan communication network in the continent and beyond. This region is the cradle from where ancient Indian culture including Buddhism spread to different directions in Central Asia, East Asia and South East Asia. The Karakoram-Himalayan region, what has also been called 'Northern Areas' of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir-comprising Hunza, Nagar, Gilgit, Baltistan, Yasin, Astore, Chilas, Koh-Ghizar , Gupis , Punial and Ishkoman - is the single largest territorial unit of the State. This area constitutes about two-thirds of the total area of 84,471 sq. miles of the entire Jammu and Kashmir State.

The region displays a wide diversity of cultural patterns, languages, ethnic identities and religious practices. The entire region has been a melting pot of different cultures and faiths – Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. Whereas a variety of languages – Ladakhi, Balti, Shina, Burushaski, Gojali, Khowar etc. exist in the region, the cross-border linkages between various ethnic-religious groups turn this frontier into a complex vortex of geopolitics. The induction and settlement of Punjabis, Pakhtoons and the Taliban cadres by Pakistan as its calculated policy to colonise the Shia/Ismaili dominated region has not only changed its demographic balance but also led to the rise of sectarianism and religious extremism often leading to violence and conflict. At the same time, the region has been witnessing a new urge for revival of its indigenous languages, cultural heritage and social practices. The social and political aspirations of different indigenous ethnic-religious groups in Karakoram-Himalayas have remained suppressed due to the geopolitical and religious factors.

Whereas Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir has been the focus of national and international attention during the past six decades or so, Gilgit-Baltistan region has eluded attention. This is mainly because this frontier area has been put under iron curtain by the successive Pakistani governments. It is against this background that this book deals with the historical, cultural, geopolitical, strategic, socio-economic and political perspectives on the entire Karakoram-Himalayan region. That the book is based on the papers contributed by area specialists and experts from the region-Gilgit-Baltistan, Mirpur-Muzaffarabad and Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir besides well known academics and strategic analysts, makes it special.

http://www.idsa.in/system/files/book_OtherKashmir.pdf

Strategic Himalayas: Republican Nepal and External Powers

2014-11-12T22:54:00.001-08:00

The ten years of Maoist insurgency followed by the political vacuum after the abolition of the monarchy and the delay in the drafting of the Constitution has given credence to the role of external powers in shaping the domestic politics in that country. The book examines the nature of external powers’ role during the political transition in Nepal since 2006. It analyses Nepal’s relations with external powers’ in the framework of ‘small and major powers’.

The book tries to explore the nature of their engagements by discussing the strategic significance of Nepal in regional power politics and the latter’s response to it. In the absence of any in-depth scholarly work thus far, the book tries to fill the gap by addressing the following questions: Is Nepal going to face a new round of strategic competition in the Himalayas? Has there been any visible change in China’s relationship with Nepal after the end of the monarchy? How does the US look at the political transition in Nepal? What is the strategic relevance of Nepal for major European countries? How will India balance the Chinese and US presence in Nepal? Does Nepal figure in Pakistan’s Look East Policy to counter-balance India’s Look West Policy? How will Nepal deal with the competing strategies of the major powers—regional and extra-regional?

http://www.idsa.in/system/files/book_StrategicHimalaya.pdf

Understanding India’s Maoists P.V. Ramana

2014-11-12T22:52:00.000-08:00

The proscribed Communist Party of India (Maoist), Maoists in short, also known in India as Naxalites, is the most lethal and largest of all such groups. Its ultimate aim is to capture/seize political/state power through protracted people’s war (PPW), on the lines propounded by Mao Tse Tung.

This volume is a modest attempt to understand the thought process of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). In this wake, some of the more important documents of the Maoists have been edited and compiled in this volume. These have been classified under various heads viz. Organisational Aspects; Interviews; Unity Congress; Central Committee/Polit Bureau Circulars/Statements; Synchronised/Large Scale Attacks; and Statements on other Organisations.

http://www.idsa.in/system/files/book_UnderstandingIndiasMaoist.pdf

Unending Violence in Pakistan Analysing the Trends

2014-11-12T22:47:00.002-08:00

The Pakistan Project of IDSA consists of a dedicated group of scholars studying Pakistan and watching the unfolding events and analysing the trends from the perspective of its implications for India and the region. “Unending Violence in Pakistan: Analysing the Trends, 2013-14” is the third report published by Pakistan Project. This report examines political violence, sectarianism, insurgency, militancy and terrorism in Pakistan, approaches of political parties and government and its implications for the society and polity of Pakistan. The report focuses on a one-year period after the May 2013 general elections, which saw the PML-N assuming power in Islamabad with the Provinces being led by other national and regional parties.

http://www.idsa.in/system/files/book_UnendingViolenceinPakistan.pdf

Space Exploration in a Changing International Environment | Center for Strategic and International Studies

2014-07-13T21:59:00.001-07:00

Space Exploration in a Changing International Environment | Center for Strategic and International Studies

Emerging Trends in West Asia: Regional and Global Implications

2014-07-03T23:06:00.004-07:00

The West Asian region has been weathering waves of volatility and instability for the last five years. The political storm that slammed into Tunisia in late 2010 gradually engulfed the entire region under the umbrella of 'Arab Spring'.These developments have had both global and regional implications. With the growing economic and energy ties between Asia and the Gulf region, several Asian countries particularly, India, Japan, China and South Korea have developed major stakes in the security and stability of the West Asian region. Thus, the desire to understand the West Asian region from a global and regional perspective has been at the heart of inquiry in this edited volume.

The book provides an in-depth assessment of socio-political, economic and strategic trends unfolding in West Asia. It also explores options for India to enhance existing relations with the West Asian region in a much more meaningful manner. The complexities of West Asia have been systematically explored by scholars, diplomats and specialists to advance the understanding of West Asia's political and strategic architecture.

http://idsa.in/system/files/book_TrendsinWestAsia.pdf

Shaping Iraq’s Security Forces | Center for Strategic and International Studies

2014-06-20T00:12:00.001-07:00

Shaping Iraq’s Security Forces | Center for Strategic and International Studies

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Contract and Grant Spending and the Supporting Industrial Base, 2004-2013 | Center for Strategic and International Studies

2014-06-20T00:11:00.001-07:00

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Contract and Grant Spending and the Supporting Industrial Base, 2004-2013 | Center for Strategic and International Studies

The Pacific Alliance and New Zealand | Center for Strategic and International Studies

2014-06-20T00:10:00.003-07:00

The Pacific Alliance and New Zealand | Center for Strategic and International Studies

Internal Tensions in Iran: Some Underlying Metrics | Center for Strategic and International Studies

2014-06-20T00:10:00.001-07:00

Internal Tensions in Iran: Some Underlying Metrics | Center for Strategic and International Studies

Iraq in Crisis | Center for Strategic and International Studies

2014-06-20T00:09:00.001-07:00

Iraq in Crisis | Center for Strategic and International Studies

CENS-Warwick GR:EEN Workshop on “Countering Violent Extremism: The State of Play" 2-3 September 2013, Singapore

2014-06-17T23:30:00.001-07:00

http://www.rsis.edu.sg/CENS/PDF/CENS-Warwick-GREEN-Workshop.pdf

Social Media and Digital Maturity: Implications for National Security 31 Oct - 1 Nov 2013, Singapore

2014-06-17T23:27:00.001-07:00

http://www.rsis.edu.sg/CENS/PDF/RSIS_SocialMediaDM_2013.pdf

Stable States: Rethinking social cohesion and good governance

2014-06-17T23:22:00.002-07:00

Damien D. Cheong's (Research Fellow) contribution in this book discusses measures that can be employed by security officials to engage communities in order to enhance social cohesion. This is important particularly in countries where social, ethnic and/or religious cleavages exist, and where trust in the security apparatus from a particular community is lacking.

http://www.staatsdruckerei.at/stablestates/downloads/Stable_states.pdf

Nuclear Deterrence: The Wohlstetter-Blackett Debate Re-visitedby Rajesh Basrur, RSIS Working Papers No. 271

2014-06-17T23:18:00.001-07:00

http://www.rsis.edu.sg/publications/WorkingPapers/WP271.pdf

Economic Integration between South Asia and East Asia: A Perception Survey of Asian Opinion Leaders by Pradumna B. Rana and Wai-Mun Chia

2014-06-17T23:16:00.002-07:00

http://www.rsis.edu.sg/publications/WorkingPapers/WP274.pdf

The Revival of the Silk Roads (Land Connectivity) in Asia by Pradumna B. Rana and Wai-Mun Chia

2014-06-17T23:15:00.002-07:00

http://www.rsis.edu.sg/publications/WorkingPapers/WP274.pdf