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.

Japan-South Korea Spat over Takeshima/Dokdo

If allowed to fester, the territorial dispute between Japan and South Korea will have serious repercussions for East Asian security.

Diversion of the Brahmaputra: Myth or Reality?

Lower riparian countries must develop sound strategies to bring China to the negotiating table with a view to stopping it from further damming or diverting the waters of the Brahmaputra or any other river originating in Tibet and flowing into South Asia.

Hari Bansh Jha
August 09, 2011
IDSA Comments

Unrest in Xinjiang

It remains to be seen how far China is able to manage the challenges of providing space for religious and cultural freedom while enabling equitable economic development for all ethnic groups.

Rukmani Gupta
August 09, 2011
IDSA Comments

India-RoK Ties in the Wake of President Patil’s Visit

The significance of the India-RoK nuclear deal lies in the fact that it allows India to tap into ROK’s nuclear expertise and it takes the pressure off the India-Japan nuclear deal.

Rajaram Panda
August 04, 2011
IDSA Comments

Australia Likely to Review Ban on Uranium Sales to India

A continuation of Australia’s ban on the sale of uranium to India is likely to hinder the goal of building a strategic partnership and exploring complementarities in the defence and maritime domain.

Hurdles before a ‘Grand Coalition’ in Japanese Politics

Significant policy differences between the DPJ and LDP and New Komeito’s unwillingness to lose its identity will prevent the formation of a grand coalition.

Fukushima Crisis Triggers Debate on the Future of Nuclear Energy

The increasing debate after the Fukushima crisis has undermined the recent renaissance of nuclear power and is likely to usher in greater regulation and stringent safety measures, making alternative sources of energy cheaper and therefore more appealing.

Assessing China-North Korea Relations in the wake of Kim’s China Visit

North Korea is unlikely to abandon its nuclear weapon development programme which has deterrence value especially considering that it does not trust China to come to its rescue in case of a threat to its security.

Rajaram Panda
June 01, 2011
Issue Brief

Japan-China-South Korea Trilateral Summit Meet Holds Promise

The summit ended with the hope of increased cooperation in East Asia, bolstered popular support for Sino-Japanese friendship, and set out a strategy for maintaining regional peace, stability and prosperity.

India and New Zealand aim to boost ties through FTA

Because an FTA would raise issues like market access, elimination of tariffs, quantitative restrictions etc., negotiations are likely to drag on for several rounds