Search Result - MP-IDSA

India’s BRICS Presidency: Challenges and Opportunities

India’s success as the 2026 BRICS Chair will depend on its ability to keep the group focused on functional cooperation, including health, climate finance and multilateral reform.

The Political Economy of South Korea’s Arms Trade with India: Challenges and Prospects

South Korea’s rapid rise as a manufacturing powerhouse and a leading export-oriented economy was made possible due to the active role of the ‘developmental state’ in the country. Despite adopting several neoliberal policies after the devastating Asian financial crisis of 1997, the South Korean state did not fully abandon its role in the country’s economic development. In recent years, selling of military hardware has emerged as one of the ‘new engines of economic growth’ for this export-oriented nation. Furthermore, South Korea’s economic and strategic relations with India have developed significantly, particularly after the end of the Cold War. The arms trade between the two countries has also grown notably. While India’s developing economic and strategic relations with South Korea are well-documented, there is a lack of literature on New Delhi’s increasing arms trade with Seoul. This article explains the challenges and prospects of South Korea’s trade of weapons with India.

Jordan’s Tightrope Walk: Strategy and Survival in the Israel-Palestine Conflict

Despite its limited resources and modest military capabilities, Jordan has long exercised outsized influence in West Asia through its central role in the Israel-Palestine conflict and its credibility as a security partner of the United States. The kingdom's strategic interests are deeply intertwined with developments in the West Bank and Gaza due to its geography, demographic sensitivities, and custodianship over Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem. The Israel–Hamas war has intensified Amman's anxieties over potential displacement scenario and unilateral Israeli expansionist ambitions. This paper examines the drivers of Jordan's foreign policy, its historical approach to the Palestinian question, its evolving engagement with Israel, and the kingdom's diplomatic and security posture during the said war and potential post-war dynamics.

India’s ‘Pacific Islands’ Outreach: Understanding Regional Narratives, Geopolitics & Opportunities

The narrative of ‘the return of geopolitics’ to the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) is gaining traction in the larger discourse of the Indo-Pacific, primarily driven by the anxiety over People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) expanding engagement in the region. The exacerbation of international tensions, amplified by the Sino-US rivalry, comes even as the Islands navigate intra-regional frictions, challenges of economic development, illegal fishing, climate change and issues related to self-determination and decolonisation. India’s renewed outreach to the PICs under PM Modi’s leadership has found wide appeal, as was visible during his visits to the Pacific Islands and his interaction with leaders via the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC). Given this context, this monograph will attempt to briefly introduce the relevance of this contested geography to regional and extra-regional players. It will unpack the internal dynamics of regional tensions and examine the agency of PICs. It will expand on how China’s actions are redefining geopolitics in the region and discuss these contested narratives. Within this backdrop, it will also explore how Indian engagement has been perceived in the region and conclude with prescriptive options of steps India could take, including with regional partners, to anchor meaningful presence in the PICs region.

Contextualising Russian Responses to US Military Action in Venezuela

The removal of Maduro by the US in Operation Absolute Resolve reifies Russian concerns associated with mass protests and regime change.

Japan–Philippines Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement: Boosting Defence ties

The Japan–Philippines Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) aims to enhance interoperability and rapid-response capabilities.

The Taliban–Russia Re-Connect

President Putin accepting the credentials of the new Afghan ambassador marks the culmination of Russia's paced rapprochement with the Taliban.

The Yellow Sea Dispute: Provisional Arrangements and Persistent Deadlock

The January 2026 South Korea–China summit meeting produced minimal progress on the Yellow Sea maritime boundary issue.

Evolving Security Architectures in Southeast Asia: A Study of Regional Security Multilateralism

The central theme of this monograph is to analyse the emerging security architecture in Southeast Asia. The evolving internal and external developments which confronts Southeast Asian countries has led to the emergence of a complex regional security environment. The ongoing United States-China rivalry in which Southeast Asia finds itself at the centre, is a key factor in shaping the regional security outlook. The study examines the role of ASEAN in shaping the security architecture centered on its norms and upholding multilateralism. However, the ineffectiveness of ASEAN as an informal security arrangement raises concern over the future of security multilateralism. Further, at a time of weakening multilateralism, along with the emergence of new and renewed security alignments being witnessed in the Indo-Pacific; the ASEAN's centrality comes under increasing pressure. Therefore, an examination into the role of major powers and the new bilateral and mini-lateral security arrangements, provides the future roadmap for security multilateralism in Southeast Asia.

IUU Fishing and Human Security in the Western Indian Ocean

Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the Western Indian Ocean poses a critical challenge to human security and governance.