China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC): The Project and its Prospects The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been earmarked as a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which is described as Chinese President Xi Jinping's signature foreign policy initiative and a grand strategy aimed at restoring China's “rightful'' great-power status in the world. It is a major plank in China's geo-strategic and economic architecture for the region, using Pakistan to secure an exploitative strategic perch in South Asia and the Arabian Sea, overlooking the crucial Persian Gulf, the west coast of India, and the east coast of Africa. Amb. Sujan R. Chinoy | | Occasional Papers
Trump’s Own “Star Wars” The 2019 US BMD Review and What It Augurs for India? The Trump administration’s BMDR, released in early 2019, can be described as the most proactive BMD plan since the SDI days with fillip given to areas like directed-energy, addressing gaps in boost-phase interception and harnessing the space frontier. Besides analyzing the BMDR threadbare, this Volume uses a hitherto unexplored cache of documents to reconstruct the anatomy of the India-US BMD dialogue so to ascertain why it failed and what the BMDR augurs for India’s BMD future. A. Vinod Kumar | | Occasional Papers
Analysing China’s Digital and Space Belt and Road Initiative The recently held second Belt and Road forum in April 2019 based on the theme “Shaping a Brighter Shared Future" gained considerable momentum in the world community. BRI has been an ever evolving concept that has changed considerably since its inception in 2013. It has generated a blend of optimism and consternation around the world. Ajey Lele | | Occasional Papers
Pakistan’s Foreign Policy: Trends and Challenges Pakistan's most critical foreign policy concerns in the last few years relate to the deadlock in relations with India and India's success in isolating Pakistan regionally and internationally due to its support for terrorism. The success of its peace overtures to Afghanistan are constrained by various complexities arising out of the unpredictable situation in Afghanistan and the role of external powers like the US, China and Russia in the ongoing peace process. Sumita Kumar | | Occasional Papers
New Evidence on China’s Intent behind Its Approach to the Sino-Burmese Territorial Dispute 1954-1960 This paper features a detailed discussion of a speech by Zhou Enlai on July 9, 1957 which was meant to outline “New China's” approach to the Sino-Burmese border dispute. Hitherto available primary and secondary sources do not disclose much about the contents of this particular speech by Zhou. Qian Zhang | | Occasional Papers
Indian Army’s Approach to Counter Insurgency Operations: A Perspective on Human Rights The Indian Army has undertaken sub-conventional operations, especially counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism for over 60 years. During this period, there has been an evolutionary shift in its approach to such operations. Vivek Chadha | | Occasional Papers
Talking About a ‘Rising China’: An Analysis of Indian Official Discourse 1996- 2012 This Occasional Paper looks at the idea of China being a potential security threat as spoken about in India's official discourse that is, as written down in annual reports or governmental statements or mentioned in the speeches of Indian officials. It does not analyse India's foreign policy, the strategic environment, or offer a new perspective on the development of bilateral security relations. Peter Van Der Hoest | | Occasional Papers
Status of India’s Border Trade: Strategic and Economic Significance Border trade is trade in local products of limited value by the people residing within a few kilometres on either side of the international border. Although the contribution of border trade in India's economy is negligible, it has substantial impact on its relations with its neighbours as well as on the people living on the border. Pushpita Das | | Occasional Papers
China’s Territorial Claim on Arunachal Pradesh: Alternative Scenarios 2032 This Occasional Paper analyzes the Chinese territorial claim from futuristic perspective by identifying three drivers of uncertainty that has bearing on future Chinese behaviour, namely, Chinese regime stability and nationalism; the Tibet factor and internal developments in Arunachal Pradesh. Based on the interactive interplay between the three drivers, the author offers four alternative scenarios with regard to China's territorial claim in 2032. Namrata Goswami | | Occasional Papers
Managing the Rise of a Hydro-Hegemon in Asia: China’s Strategic Interests in the Yarlung-Tsangpo River The Paper examines China´s general performance as a hydro-hegemon in Asia, presents the case study on China´s hydro-behaviour in the Yarlung-Tsangpo river basin, and outlines a framework for promoting trans-boundary watercooperation. Jesper Svensson | | Occasional Papers
