East Asia

About Centre

The East Asia Centre is dedicated to studying the domestic and foreign policies of the region as well as India’s multifaceted relationships with the major countries of this region. With respect to China, the Centre’s research foci are its foreign policy, domestic politics, economy, military affairs, and India’s relations with China in all its dimensions. It monitors developments in China’s autonomous and special administrative regions. The Centre also focuses on Taiwan with reference to cross-Strait relations, ties with the US, India-Taiwan relations and domestic politics. The Centre researches Japanese and Korean affairs. Its major research focus is on their domestic politics, foreign policy and comprehensive bilateral relationships with India. It follows the developments in the Korean peninsula and inter-Korean relations. The geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific is studied at the Centre too.

The Centre brings out five monthly newsletters: East Asia Military Monitor, Japan Digest, China Science and Technology, Korea Newsletter, and China Military Digest.

Pakistan’s Long and Ordinary Crisis

The functional distortion of the arrangement of Pakistan’s major institutions—principally, the executive, the army, and the judiciary—is the cause of the current crisis.

Atul Mishra
February 09, 2012
Issue Brief

Myanmar’s Critical Role in Bolstering India’s Look East Policy

Cooperation with India will help natural resources-rich Myanmar develop its true potential. And cooperation with Myanmar will help India transform the North-East, bolster its Look East Policy, and help it emerge as a major Asian power

Arvind Gupta
February 02, 2012
IDSA Comments

The New Year Saga: China Dampens Tibetan’s Celebration

The Chinese New Year celebrations formally began on Monday, January 23. China has become 4710 years old as per its lunar calendar. This year will be known as the Year of the Dragon, which symbolises strength and prosperity. The New Year celebration is one of the longest and the principal festive season for the Chinese: the official holiday itself extends over a week or two. Tibet and Tibetans, however, have to wait a little longer for their New Year celebrations.

China’s White Papers on Space: An Analysis

China's space programme is not only an attempt to demonstrate technological or military superiority, but is aimed at achieving great power status.

Ajey Lele , Gunjan Singh
January 20, 2012
Issue Brief

Contours of a Possible Indian Riposte to Chinese Aggressiveness

After assessing the weaknesses and gaps in Chinese capabilities and highlighting the positions of advantage that India enjoys, this essay proposes a strategy for a strong riposte against any Chinese adventurism.

Lalit Kumar
January 17, 2012
Policy Brief

China ups the ante in Arunachal Pradesh

China’s refusal of visa to an IAF officer from Arunachal Pradesh, while aimed at scoring a political point, creates obstacles towards the very confidence-building that China hopes to see in the eastern sector.

Namrata Goswami
January 17, 2012
IDSA Comments

Visit of Pakistan Army Chief to China

India will need to factor the growing PLA presence in and around Pakistan and be prepared to engage an increasingly confident Pakistan propped by Chinese support and driven by Chinese interests in the region.

Mandip Singh
January 17, 2012
IDSA Comments

Challenges Before Japan in 2012

This Issue Brief assesses the pitfalls and opportunities as well as the likely course of action that the Japanese political leadership is going to define in the coming months.

Rajaram Panda
January 16, 2012
Issue Brief

India-China Special Representatives Talks: Focus on Trust Building

Although not much is expected from this round of border talks, some incremental forward movement cannot be ruled out in terms of creating additional institutional mechanisms to deal with frequent border transgressions from the Chinese side.