Namita Barthwal

Namita Barthwal is a Research Analyst at the Military Affairs Centre of the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), where her research focuses on China-Pakistan military cooperation. She is currently pursuing her PhD at the MMAJ Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia.

Before joining MP-IDSA, she served as a Research Assistant at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) and has published an occasional paper titled China-Pakistan Military Cooperation: Analysis of the Alliance and Its Implications for South Asia.

Namita has contributed her articles to a range of reputed platforms. In 2024, she was selected for the prestigious Primakov Readings – Youth Session, held in Moscow. She has delivered guest lectures at various universities.

Research Analyst

Publication

Namita Barthwal’s Review of Lt Gen VK Ahluwalia’s Book ‘A General’s Odyssey: Giving Up is Not an Option’ Published by CLAWS

Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms Namita Barthwal’s review of Lt Gen V.K. Ahluwalia’s Book ‘A General’s Odyssey: Giving Up is Not an Option’ has been published by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) on 24 January 2026. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

Namita Barthwal’s Article ‘China’s Rising Military Power: Why India Should Pay Attention’ Published in Modern Diplomacy

Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms Namita Barthwal’s article ‘China’s Rising Military Power: Why India Should Pay Attention’ has been published in Modern Diplomacy on 06 January 2026. China is recalibrating the PLA for high-intensity, multi-domain conflict against a “strong enemy”—the United States. But India cannot take comfort from the assumption that it is therefore a secondary theater, writes Ms Barthwal. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

Namita Barthwal’s Article ‘How Taliban’s plan to dam Kabul-Kunar basin will squeeze water-stressed Pakistan further’ Published in Firstpost

Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms Namita Barthwal’s article ‘How Taliban’s plan to dam Kabul-Kunar basin will squeeze water-stressed Pakistan further’ has been published in Firstpost on 08 December 2025. The article explains how the proposed Kunar-Panjshir and other Kabul basin projects effectively turn the Kabul River into an extension of South Asia’s broader water competition. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

Namita Barthwal’s Article ‘Sanctions, the Taliban, and an Iranian Port: The Uncertain Future of India’s Kabul Route’ Published in The Diplomat

Research Analyst Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms Namita Barthwal’s article ‘Sanctions, the Taliban, and an Iranian Port: The Uncertain Future of India’s Kabul Route’ has been published in ‘The Diplomat’ on 07 November 2025. India’s approach to the Taliban has gradually shifted from purely humanitarian aid to a focus on trade and transit, says Ms Barthwal. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.