Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
मनोहर पर्रिकर रक्षा अध्ययन एवं विश्लेषण संस्थान

Abhishek Mishra

Dr. Abhishek Mishra is an Associate Fellow with the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. His research focuses on India and China’s engagement in Africa, aimed at developing partnerships under the framework of South-South cooperation, including a specific focus on maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region. Abhishek holds a PhD in African Studies from the Department of African Studies, University of Delhi. His PhD thesis is titled “India’s Maritime Cooperation with African Countries in Western Indian Ocean Region.” Abhishek has given a lecture at Naval War College, Goa for the Naval Higher Commander Course on the theme “West IOR Island Nations and East Africa: Politico-Economic Perspective.” He has also participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), sponsored by the United States Department of State on the theme “Enhancing Regional Maritime Governance and Cooperation in the QUAD” in October, 2022. He also participated in the Paris Defence Young Leaders programme from 12-16 June 2023, hosted by the Institute for Strategic Research (IRSEM), a research institute of the French Ministry of Armed Forces. Before joining MP-IDSA, Abhishek was working on African issues at the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.

Associate Fellow
  • Email: afam.mpidsa[at]gov.in, a.mishrapolsc[at]gmail.com
  • Phone:+91 11 2671 7983

Publication

Abhishek Mishra’s Article ‘Where is India in West Africa’s security bet? Published in Hindustan Times

Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr Abhishek Mishra’s article ‘Where is India in West Africa’s security bet?’ has been published in Hindustan Times on 19 September 2026. The piece argues that the Sahel juntas' sovereignty-for-security bargain has failed, with JNIM stronger than ever and pushing south into Benin, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, which makes this a West African problem now. With France retreating and the US shifting to a lighter footprint, India, with its peacekeepers and ITEC training links across the region, has an opening to become a security partner. 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

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Abhishek Mishra’s Co-authored Paper ‘Institutional choice and the limits of security governance: EU-India maritime cooperation in the Western Indian Ocean’ Published in European Journal of International Security

Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr Abhishek Mishra’s co-authored paper ‘Institutional choice and the limits of security governance: EU-India maritime cooperation in the Western Indian Ocean’ has been published in the European Journal of International Security, published by Cambridge University Press with doi:10.1017/eis.2026.10071 The paper draws on institutional choice theory to examine how and why the EU and India select different institutional formats for multilateral maritime security cooperation in the Western Indian Ocean. 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

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Situating Africa in the Indo-Pacific construct the Role of India and External Powers

From an African perspective, literature on maritime security and the Indo-Pacific is very limited. Any discussion on Africa's inclusion and role in the Indo-Pacific discourse is at a nascent stage. The maritime security aspects and challenges facing African countries situated in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region have thus far not been adequately explored in the existing literature. The scholarly debates and international responses have tended to focus mostly on piracy in African waters. Piracy has sensitised both Africa and the international community to the threats off Africa, but it has also skewed perceptions about Africa's maritime landscape. Despite that, maritime security in an African context has been increasingly assuming prominence in the African security agenda. This monograph studies, analyses, and highlights the imperative for African countries in the WIO region to integrate themselves and play a constructive role in the emerging Indo-Pacific debate. It also attempts to find out the ways through which African countries in the WIO region could benefit by developing common positions on the Indo-Pacific based on shared interests and principles. Such a study is important because multilateralism matters for African states as it gives them the best chance to pool resources and ideas to influence global decisions and ensure that their voices are factored in discussions that have a bearing on the continent's growth and development.

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