Future Warfare and Artificial Intelligence: Visible Path Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as the most disruptive technology of the current era and is advancing exponentially. AI is growing around the concept of machines acquiring human like intelligence for problem solving. Though still in early evolutionary stage, it is already changing the ways the day to day thing are being done. Atul Pant | | 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
Enhancing Energy Security in Rural Tanzania: Examples of Decentralized Rural Energy Approaches from India This paper argues that decentralized electrification without local participation is unlikely to yield the desired nation-wide impact, especially for the rural communities. This suggests that the energy policy and institutional arrangements of Tanzania need to find more space for local community participation in rural electrification initiatives. Ian Sanghavi | | Occasional Papers
From Looks to Action: Thailand-India Strategic Convergence and Defence Cooperation After 67 years of diplomatic relations and two decades of collaboration in connecting India with Southeast Asia in January of 2012, Thailand and India finally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation. This effort to deepen defence and military ties between the two countries emerged relatively late when compared with those between India and most other Southeast Asian countries. Sasiwan Chingchit | | Occasional Papers
Maldives Revisited This Occasional Paper is a brief first-hand personal account of the Tevents, discussions, decisions and the action taken in November 1988 by the Government of India to provide help to the Government of Maldives to quell an attempted coup. Arun Kumar Banerjee | | 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
India and Bhutan: The Strategic Imperative Prime Minister Narendra Modi seemed aware about the nuances Pthat underpin India's cultural and political obligations in Asia. By making Bhutan as his first visit abroad followed by a visit to Nepal, he has effectively invoked the deeper imperatives to revitalize India's national interests. P. Stobdan | | Occasional Papers
Critical Assessment of China’s Vulnerabilities in Tibet The paper looks at the critical vulnerabilities of China in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). Ever since China captured and annexed Tibet in 1950, it has been unable to integrate the Tibetan people with the mainland. The author looks at these criticalities from an Indian viewpoint and draws some key assessments for China watchers in India with regard to policy on Tibet. Mandip Singh | | 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
Expansion of the Karakoram Corridor: Implications and Prospects The Paper examines Chinese transport projects in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir in general and Gilgit-Baltistan in particular and their impact on local and regional economy and security. China and Pakistan are in the process of expanding the Karakoram Corridor in Gilgit-Baltistan which primarily serves the political and strategic interests of both countries with negligible benefits to the local people. Senge H. Sering | | Occasional Papers