Non-Traditional Security
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  • About Centre

    The Centre focuses on security challenges that are not considered mainstream. The methods and tools employed to address non-traditional security challenges are evolving. It includes within its fold unconventional thinking and it challenges orthodox understandings. The 21st century presents new paradigms to security. Politico-military threats have been joined by security issues relating to energy, water, food, environment, and climate change. Accordingly, the focus areas of the cluster have been energy, water, environment and climate change.

    Projects Recently Concluded
    In 2008, a working group presented its report in a national workshop on security implications of climate change for India. Experts presented papers on renewable energy, climate change and foreign policy, and the role of the military in environment.

    Current Projects
    A Task Force on water security has been formed to revisit all internal and external facets related to water. Experts are also focused on WTO, energy, and climate change and the geopolitics of climate change.

    Members

    Leveraging Cyber Power: A Study of the Approaches and Responses of the Major Powers

    The monograph looks at how major powers have tried to pursue three objectives in cyberspace, viz. (1) strengthening or enhancing national cyber defences, and (2) striving to shape the international cyber environment by leveraging economic and technological capabilities, and (3) through defining and evangelising international cyber norms. A section on the cybersecurity preparedness of the countries of the South Asian region is incorporated to highlight those vulnerabilities and deficient capacities and capabilities that give the major powers a foothold to pursue their objectives.

    2021

    A Study of the Kural: Concepts and Themes

    India has a live, longstanding, and multiple traditions of secular texts and treatise on statecraft, not only in Sanskrit but also in Dravidian traditions in Tamil. For a total picture of Indian civilization and culture there is need to explore texts other than just Sanskrit. In this category there is a powerful and compact text in Tamil from south India called the Tirukkural by Tiruvalluvar, also known as the Kural.

    2021

    Indus Basin Uninterrupted: A History of Territory and Politics from Alexander to Nehru

    • Publisher: Penguin Random House India
      2021
    The Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan marks six decades, but carries the reflection of several thousand years of history. Indus Basin Uninterrupted, with an easy narration and rich archival material, brings alive a meandering journey of peace, conflict and commerce on the Indus basin. The Indus system of rivers, as a powerful symbol of the passage of time, represents not only the interdependence and interpenetration of land and water, but equally the unfolding of political identities, social churning and economic returns. From Alexander's campaign to Qásim crossing the Indus and laying the foundation of Muslim rule in India; from the foreign invaders and their 'loot and scoot' to the Mughal rulers' perspective on hydrology and water use; from the British 'great game' on the Indus basin to the bitter and bloody Partition; and finally, as a historical pause, the signing of the Indus Waters Treaty—this book is a spectrum of spectacular events, turning points and of personalities and characters and their actions that were full of marvel.
    • ISBN: 9780670094486,
    • Price: ₹. 799.00
    2021

    The Nitisara by Kamandaka: Continuity and Change from Kautilya’s Arthashastra

    This study compares Indian traditions of statecraft in Kamandaka’s Nitisara, or the Elements of Polity, with the earlier foundational root text of Kautilya’s Arthashastra. There are commonalities, dissimilarities and uniqueness in the texts. However, key values and concepts across time do not seem to have changed and remain relevant even today.

    2019

    Asian Strategic Review 2017: Energy Security in Times of Uncertainty

    • Publisher: Pentagon Press
      2018

    The world is entering an era with increased global demand for energy, price volatility, and rising concerns about environmental burdens and the global impact of climate change. Directly or indirectly, these factors have given rise to related concerns such as deregulation and geopolitical uncertainties. Moreover, the challenges related to the energy issue go beyond scientific or technological aspects and extend to access to resources, regional conflicts, pricing and energy infrastructure management.

    • ISBN: 78-93-86618-28-3,
    • Price: ₹ 795/- , $27.95/-
    • E-copy available
    2018

    The Formation of the Indian Diaspora

    The Indian Diaspora is one of the world’s largest overseas groupings. The Diaspora is considered India's 30th state with over 30 million overseas Indians. This article outlines the main strands of its formation, from the first movement of indentured workers and subsequent phases of migration of skilled professionals to the West and of workers to the Persian Gulf. They remain the single–largest contributor of foreign exchange and development in the country. Understanding its formation is an essential step for studying the Diaspora and engaging with it. This article aims to do that.

    July 2021

    A Comparison of Kamandaka's Nitisara and Kautilya's Arthashastra: Statecraft, Diplomacy and Warfare

    Kamandaka’s Nitisara was composed after the classic and the only surviving root text of Kautilya’s Arthashastra. Both the texts are important milestones in Indic heritage and tradition of political science. They share many fundamental and enduring similarities in concepts and vocabulary. There are also dissimilarities and some unique features such as Kamandaka’s strategy of Upeksha (neglect, diplomatic indifference) reused and revived during the Indian freedom struggle.

    July-September 2021

    From Energy Security to Energy Dominance: US’ Blending of Politics and Economics

    In the aftermath of the successful ‘America First’ or ‘Make America Great Again’ presidential election campaign, President Trump’s era inaugurated the realm of energy politics. It began with the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and the lifting of the US export ban on crude oil. So far, it has been featured in setting aside President Obama’s climate change mitigation policy, which emphasized regulation, discouraged oil and gas development, and denounced the extensive exploitation of natural resources.

    March 2020

    Food Security in India: Evolution, Efforts and Problems

    This article examines India’s efforts to achieve food security. It traces the problem, from the inadequate production of food grains during colonial times, to the challenges of procurement, storage and distribution of cereals in post-independence India, after achieving self-sufficiency in food production. The establishment of the Public Distribution System (PDS) and its evolution into the Targeted PDS and the National Food Security Act are outlined. The role of the Food Corporation of India and the efforts to improve it, are discussed.

    November 2018

    Energy Security: How Decision-Making Processes in India’s Energy Bureaucracy Shape India’s Energy Policy

    Energy security has evolved to become strategically important for countries, such that the domestic availability of energy resources, coupled with the national energy demand, as well as import and export dependencies on energy resources, have important implications for a country’s economic growth, human development and strategic autonomy. This is especially important for India, which is heavily dependent on imports to meet its domestic energy demand.

    September 2018

    Norway’s Priorities for its Arctic Council Chairship 2023–2025

    Given the ongoing geopolitical contestations and the current state of Norway’s relations with Russia, Norway may not be able to fully realise the ambitious agenda for its upcoming presidency of the Arctic Council.

    May 01, 2023

    Improving Global Food Security: The Impact of the Black Sea Grain Initiative

    The Black Sea Grain Initiative has played a vital role in bridging the demand and supply gap and providing a degree of stability to the growing global food insecurity.

    March 27, 2023

    Clean Energy Transitions in Vietnam: Opportunities and Challenges

    Even as Vietnam has Southeast Asia's largest installed solar and wind power capacity, coal will continue to be the country’s primary source of energy till 2030.

    March 21, 2023

    A Need for an Autonomous Agency for Overseas Development Assistance

    There is a need for India to establish an autonomous agency to execute overseas development assistance programmes.

    March 15, 2023

    India’s G20 Presidency: Opportunity to Resume Engagement in the Arctic

    India could help in the resumption of the suspended scientific exchanges by the West in the Arctic.

    February 17, 2023

    Members

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