Dr. Pushpita Das is Research Fellow and Coordinator of the Internal Security Centre at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), New Delhi. Her areas of research include border security and management, coastal security, drug trafficking, migration, and India’s Northeast. At IDSA she has been studying India’s approach towards the management of its international borders. She has been co-opted as an expert by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on projects on Coastal Security. Dr. Das has written extensively on her areas of research including: monographs titled Illegal Migration from Bangladesh: Deportation, Fences, Work Permit (2016) and Coastal Security: the Indian Approach (2013); three occasional papers titled Status of India’s Border Trade (2014), Drug Trafficking in India (2012), Coastal Security along Gujarat and Maharashtra coasts (2009); and a number of articles and commentaries in journals and books. She has also published two edited books:India’s Border management: selected documents (2010), and Northeast India: New Vistas for Peace (2008). Dr. Das has delivered lectures at a number of training institutes including the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy of Administration, Mussoorie; Naval War College, Mumbai; Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad; Sardar Patel Institute for Public Administration, Ahmedabad; and Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies, Bhutan, apart from participating in national and international seminars. Dr. Pushpita Das holds a Doctorate from the Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Is Northeast Poised for Lasting Peace?
With reduced levels of violent incidents and overall death tolls, the security situation in the Northeast has indubitably improved. However, there remain areas of concern that need to be addressed in a timely and suitable manner.
Citizenship Amendment Act: Fulfilment of a Long Standing Demand
CAA is a humanitarian gesture. Efforts of the government to allay apprehensions regarding CAA by countering misinformation is a welcome step. A better understanding and appreciation of CAA by the people is expected to reduce opposition to the Act.
Security challenges along the India-Myanmar border
Research Fellow, IDSA, Dr Pushpita Das’ write up titled ‘Security Challenges along India-Myanmar Border’ has been published on London School of Economic and Political Science (LSE) South Asia Blog.
Dr Das examines the security challenges currently emanating across the India-Myanmar border in the write up.
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Security Challenges and the Management of the India–Myanmar Border
Being highly porous, poorly guarded and located along a remote, underdeveloped, insurgency-prone region and proximate to one of the world’s largest five opium producing areas, the India–Myanmar border is vulnerable to the activities of insurgents and drugs and arms traffickers as well as criminals. Although the Indian government has been alive to the threats that emanate from a poorly guarded India–Myanmar international border, its attention towards the problem has been woefully inadequate.
New Delhi's Options Post the Publication of the NRC in Assam
The best way forward for India is to initiate talks with Bangladesh and seek a mutually acceptable political solution for the issue of illegal immigrants.
Publication of the National Register of Citizens: a positive step, but what next
Since the deportation of illegal migrants is not feasible, the only option before the government is to let them reside in the country on humanitarian grounds but after stripping them of all citizenship rights.
Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System: Issues and Challenges
Implementation of high-tech solutions without adequately trained personnel is unlikely to help the Border Security Force achieve the goal of foolproof border surveillance.
Drug trafficking a challenge to India's security
Research Fellow, IDSA, Dr Pushpita Das article on the menace of drug trafficking in India, titled ‘Drug trafficking a challenge to India's security’ was published in WION on June 30, 2017.
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Illegal Migration From Bangladesh: Deportation, Border Fences and Work Permits
This monograph examines the Indian government’s perspective on the issue of infiltration/illegal from Bangladesh. It analyses the socio-economic and political impact of the presence of a large number of illegal Bangladeshi migrants on the receiving societies within India.
An Analysis of the Internal Security Budget 2017-18
For the financial year 2017-18, the Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) has been allocated Rs. 83,823 crore, a hike of around 11.5 per cent over that of the previous year. Though the Union government has been providing substantial budget support to the MHA to aid its reform and modernisation programs, the ministry’s efforts to bring about desired reforms have shown mixed results so far.