Jagannath P. Panda

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Jagannath Panda's piece ‘Japan's new defense white paper sharpens aim at China’ has been published in Asia Times.

The piece argues that the 2021 white paper explicates not only Japan’s future security outlook but also raises an alarm bell for the region on China. Tokyo’s concerns are becoming more China-focused, and Taiwan’s place is continuously growing in Japan’s security calculus. What remains to be seen, however, is the extent to which Tokyo can embrace Taiwan’s security and advocate for a collective security umbrella for Taipei. Nevertheless, seeking partnerships and more specific strategic alignments are distinct features of its 2021 white paper, leaving an encouraging note for India and many other countries in Asia and beyond.

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• Published: 15 July, 2021

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Jagannath Panda's Commentary ‘The Structural Limits of the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative’ has been published at the Pacific Forum.

The commentary essentially argues that despite its merits, the SCRI is structurally limited right now. Yet with economic transformation and post-pandemic recovery shaping regional power distribution, the expectations for the SCRI are immense. To meet expectations, the Australia-Japan-India trilateral must acknowledge the challenges and shape the initiative adequately to overcome them.

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• Published: 9 July, 2021

Xi’s rousing words at CCP’s centenary celebrations have reaffirmed China’s intentions to make every effort in actualising its domestic goals and global ambitions—without holding much regard for the rules-based order.

• Published: July 07, 2021
• Issue Brief

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Jagannath Panda's article ‘What China's Communist Party Centenary Means for India;’ has been published in The National Interest. 

The article argues India must anticipate a brasher, more formidable international outlook that puts China ahead of all. New Delhi’s immediate challenge will be managing an authoritarian China while not allowing already damaged Indian-Chinese ties to collapse further. In other words, India’s leadership will be tested to maintain a balance between “relationship” management to “regime” management with China. The CCP will be looking to push its limits and test the resolve of its competitors, and India would definitely be a critical component on its foreign policy radar.

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• Published: 1 July, 2021

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Jagannath Panda's Commentary ‘How "eternal" is the Sino-DPRK Alliance?’ has been published in the 38 North at Stimson Centre.

The commentary argues that for both China and the DPRK, their Treaty of Friendship remains vital as a tool for engaging with the US and ROK on more favorable terms, and its renewal is inevitable. While it is unlikely for significant changes to emerge from this year’s renewal, it will likely face major challenges over the next 20 years owing to changed political realities, opening the door to its amendment. Although China will not allow outside pressure to destabilize the regime in North Korea, it is an increasingly reluctant ally to the DPRK. Moving forward, Beijing will seek to redraw the treaty in its favor.

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• Published: 30 June, 2021

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Jagannath Panda's article ‘Ties that bind: GeoPolitics, not socialism, underpin North Korea-China alliance’ has been published in NK News.

The article covers the Sino-DPRK strategic cooperation against the democratic world as they prepare to reaffirm the 1961 treaty soon on 11th July 2021 again.

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• Published: 30 June, 2021

Research Fellow, MP-IDSA, Dr. Jagannath Panda's article ‘U.S.-Japan: Reinforcing Taiwan's Security?’ has been published in Japan Forward.

The piece argues that there is now a real concern that China is moving away from merely “theoretical talk” about enforcing unification with Taiwan to actually contemplating and planning military action.

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• Published: 21 June, 2021

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Jagannath Panda's article ‘The Tokyo-Taipei Calculus: Will Taiwan Soon Join the CPTPP?’ has been published in ‘The National Interest’, Washington DC.

The article argues that Taipei's accession to the CPTPP would mark a massive strategic win for Taiwan, for the democratic CPTPP member states, and of course, for Tokyo’s international stature as a multilateral leader.

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• Published: 15 June, 2021

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Jagannath Panda's paper ‘New Southern Policy and the Post-COVID Arc of India-South Korea Ties’ has been published in the Korean Institute of National Unification's (KINU) compendium titled ‘Assessment and Tasks for New Southern and New Northern Policy from International Perspectives’ [no.15, 2020].

The paper argues that moving beyond ASEAN, India–South Korea relations must also navigate their bilateral ties to encourage growth in other regional forums of cooperation. While ASEAN is central to NSP, the policy also aims to further co-prosperity with the South Asian region, and India should take a stronger note of it.

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• Published: 14 June, 2021

Research Fellow, MP-IDSA, Dr. Jagannath Panda's article "Beijing Boosts its Position as a "Himalayan Hegemon" Through Hydropower" is published in China Brief (Vol. 21: Issue 11, 2021) at the Jamestown Foundation, Washington DC.

The article argues that with China’s massive new hydropower project on the politically contentious Yarlung Tsangpo now a strategic priority under the 14th Five Year Plan (FYP), water politics in the Himalayas requires more acute attention than ever before.

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• Published: 7 June, 2021