D. Padma Kumar Pillay

This article examines India’s comprehensive journey towards sustainable development, demonstrating the deep alignment between its national priorities and the global development agenda even before the advent of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The article highlights the nation’s significant achievements in critical areas such as poverty reduction, health, financial inclusion, and environmental sustainability. Acknowledging persistent challenges in achieving all targets, we identify key areas requiring focused intervention for future progress. Ultimately, India’s distinctive development model, characterized by its immense scale, profound diversity, and global engagement, serves as a valuable blueprint for sustainable development in the Global South and beyond.

• D. Padma Kumar Pillay, Srishti Slaria |
• May-June 2025 |
• Strategic Analysis

This article focuses on India's push for selfreliance in defence through the development of DRDO's indigenous 8x8 CBRN Reconnaissance Vehicle. It highlights the persistent global CBRN threat, India's past import dependence, and the vehicle's advanced capabilities, underscoring how collaborative innovation under Atmanirbhar Bharat strengthens national preparedness and defence autonomy.

• D. Padma Kumar Pillay |
• July-December 2025 |
• CBW Magazine

India’s deployment of its armed forces in the aftermath of the Korean Armistice established a unique blueprint for global peace-making.

• D. Padma Kumar Pillay |
• December 09, 2025 |
• IDSA Comments

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Col DPK Pillay’s article ‘75 years on: How 'Maroon Angels' in Korean War paved way for India to become leader in UN peacekeeping’ has been published in ‘The New Indian Express’ on 22 November 2025.

India’s contribution extended far beyond diplomatic maneuvers; it was a complex, risky, and physically demanding commitment of military and medical personnel, says Col Pillay.

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Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Col DPK Pillay’s article ‘How India’s Balancing Act in Korea Defined Modern Peace Making’ has been published in the Open magazine on 26 November 2025.

The month of November marks India’s little known participation in the Korean war where a detachment of paramedics played a heroic role on the front lines. Though not designated as combatants, the Indian soldiers earned goodwill and credibility and this led to an unusual role for India as the war wound down with the final drawing of the 38th parallel as the boundary between the two Koreas, sys Col Pillay.

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Research Fellow, MP-IDSA, Col DPK Pillay prepared the report of the discussion ‘A Pragmatic Approach: Are We Prepared for the Bangladesh Elections?’ for the IIC Diary. The talk was delivered by Harsh V. Shringla (Former Foreign Secretary and Member of Parliament). The other discussants included Sreeradha Datta and Rishi Gupta. The event was chaired by Jawhar Sircar (Public intellectual and Former Secretary Culture and CEO, Prasar Bharti).

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Col DPK Pillay contributed a chapter to the Geneva Centre for Security Policy's (GCSP) landmark publication, 30 Recipes for Peace, released to commemorate the Centre's 30th Anniversary. Col Pillay uses the traditional Kerala dish, Avial, as a potent metaphor for multilateral diplomacy and resourcefulness in conflict resolution, asserting that harmony is achieved when diverse, common ingredients (nations/people) are thoughtfully mixed. His contribution reinforces the alignment between the GCSP's mission and India's exemplary role as a neutral mediator, drawing crucial lessons from India’s deployment of the Custodian Force to manage the end of the Korean War, thereby stressing that dialogue and bridge-building are foundational to global peace and security.

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Col DPK Pillay’s article ‘The Fast track to first world:  Korea’s lessons for India’s rise’ has been published in ‘The Sunday Guardian’ on 20 July 2025.

South Korea’s rapid development through authoritarian-led quality focus contrasts with India’s democratic, pluralistic but steady economic rise and modernization, says Col Pillay.

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Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Col DPK Pillay’s article ‘India's Korean War Blueprint: A Path to Global Peacemaking Leadership in Today's World’ has been published by the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) on 17 July 2025. The moral compass that guides India's policy of non-alignment, sharpened through its hard-earned diplomatic real estate and invaluable capital, now unequivocally demands decisive action, not mere presence. The cost of inaction is not simply a betrayal of India's historical commitment to global peace and a diminishing of its rightful standing; it risks hurtling the world towards unending violence, escalating conflicts, and cascading man-made disasters, says Col Pillay. 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.

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Col DPK Pillay’s article ‘Why India needs to do to recapture the narrative war’ has been published in Chakra on 07 July 2025.

India is not lacking in stories—we are lacking in storytellers. We do not lack heroes—we lack the will to honor them. Korea holds up a mirror. It shows us the power of remembrance, of narrative, and of sustained engagement. Let us stop being forgotten. Let us start becoming unforgettable, says Col Pillay.

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