Issue Brief

The re-equipment of the Indian Air Force (IAF) for the medium- to long-term requires a careful look at the costs and technical problems associated with Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA). The country may gain from examining alternative means of achieving the benefits in capability offered by FGFA through the possibly cheaper hypersonic route, especially if pursued indigenously.

• Vivek Kapur |
• March 09, 2012 |
• Issue Brief

The functional distortion of the arrangement of Pakistan’s major institutions—principally, the executive, the army, and the judiciary—is the cause of the current crisis.

• Atul Mishra |
• February 09, 2012 |
• Issue Brief

The value of Report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee lies more in the process it created and the multiple narratives it brought in from the periphery rather than as an end product in itself.

• Amali Wedagedara |
• February 01, 2012 |
• Issue Brief

China's space programme is not only an attempt to demonstrate technological or military superiority, but is aimed at achieving great power status.

• Ajey Lele , Gunjan Singh |
• January 20, 2012 |
• Issue Brief

S.M. Krishna’s visit to Israel has added the crucial political content to one of India’s most significant bilateral relationships of the post-Cold War era.

• S. Samuel C. Rajiv |
• January 16, 2012 |
• Issue Brief

This Issue Brief assesses the pitfalls and opportunities as well as the likely course of action that the Japanese political leadership is going to define in the coming months.

• Rajaram Panda |
• January 16, 2012 |
• Issue Brief

Noda’s visit to India is a demonstration of Japan’s long-term commitment to scale up India–Japan bilateral ties to a higher trajectory.

• Rajaram Panda , Shamshad A. Khan |
• January 13, 2012 |
• Issue Brief

What was new in 2011 was the idea of a new media revolution: the convergence of various forms of media—television, social, and online networks which, when combined together, became a powerful weapon in the hands of the common man.

• Shruti Pandalai |
• January 13, 2012 |
• Issue Brief

The year 2011 will stand out in history as the year of the Arab Spring, when people in Northern Africa and West Asia rose up against tyranny and revolted for political emancipation.

• A. Vinod Kumar |
• January 04, 2012 |
• Issue Brief

The demise of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il on December 17, 2011 has introduced a new dimension to the security situation in Northeast Asia. The future of East Asian security would largely be shaped by developments that unfold in the Korean peninsula.

• Rajaram Panda , Victoria Tuke |
• January 02, 2012 |
• Issue Brief

Highlighting the limitations of the European Union’s Common Security and Defence Policy, this Issue Brief argues that Europe’s role as a global actor in matters of defence and security will remain constrained in the immediate future.

• Raphaëlle Khan |
• December 20, 2011 |
• Issue Brief

Given the nature of violence perpetrated against innocent civilians and prolonged hostility between Sudan and South Sudan, it is imperative that the UN Security Council takes stock of the situation and acts immediately.

• Keerthi Sampath Kumar |
• December 16, 2011 |
• Issue Brief

India’s internal security situation in 2011 was relatively better than in previous years. To ensure that 2012 also turns out to be a quiet and secure year, New Delhi not only has to consolidate the gains made in 2011 but also undertake new initiatives to address these gaps.

• Pushpita Das |
• December 13, 2011 |
• Issue Brief

There certainly exists some logic behind India, Japan and the US working together, and that too in a region that lacks solid security architecture.

• Rajaram Panda , Victoria Tuke |
• November 22, 2011 |
• Issue Brief

It is apparent that both Russia and North Korea are seeking diplomatic currency. But so long as North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme remains an unresolved issue, Russia’s plan for a trans-Korean gas pipeline, however mutually beneficial that may be, is likely to remain unachievable.

• Rajaram Panda |
• November 09, 2011 |
• Issue Brief

Ukraine has resisted Russian attempts to draw it into a closer political and economic embrace and has instead explored a closer association with the EU, NATO and even China. Recent developments indicate a turnaround in the Ukrainian attitude and may portend a closer relationship with Russia and the CIS states.

• Smita Purushottam |
• November 04, 2011 |
• Issue Brief

There is considerable interest in a possible conflict with China. However, little discussion exists in the open domain on conflict possibilities. This Brief attempts to fill this gap by dilating upon conflict scenarios along the spectrum of conflict. It brings out the need for limitation to conflict and the necessity for a grand strategic approach towards China as against a military driven one.

• Ali Ahmed |
• October 24, 2011 |
• Issue Brief

President Abbas' request for full UN membership for a Palestinian State may have created new opportunities for India in West Asia. New Delhi today is relatively well-positioned to contribute to the ongoing efforts for the resumption of Israeli - Palestinian talks in the coming weeks.

• Nicolas Blarel |
• October 20, 2011 |
• Issue Brief

Yemen is stuck in a paradoxical and ambiguous situation. While it is widely believed that regime change is necessary, in the absence of reliable alternate leadership, the risk of chaos and instability looms large.

• Prasanta Kumar Pradhan |
• October 18, 2011 |
• Issue Brief

With hydel cooperation emerging as an important pillar in India-Bhutan relationship, this Issue Brief examines the challenges and opportunities in this sector in the years to come.

• Medha Bisht |
• October 07, 2011 |
• Issue Brief