NIAS Newsletter
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July 2016 NIAS Newsletter Volume 2, Issue 3 NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDIES, BENGALURU, INDIA 560012 email: <[email protected]> Featured Research From the Director, NIAS Programme “NIAS engages in eminent dialogues and debates on common and uncommon interdisciplinary topics of national interest. We respect NIAS has an integrated approach to the study difference and diversity in thinking. The multidisciplinary research, of the intersections between science and evidence based studies and the doctoral programme strengthens technology, social issues, humanities and competence and capacity of this unique Institute which gives equal leadership. The philosophy underlying NIAS importance to core and frontiers of knowledge. We endeavour to is given shape by its research through the perceive and find solutions with purpose and inspiration. The choice of Research Programmes housed by the Schools. the topics is reflected in the newsletter and other publications which are In this issue of NIAS Newsletter we feature the visible on the website of NIAS. These and other efforts at NIAS are aimed International Strategic and Security Studies at nurturing domain specialists, knowledge integrators and thought Programme. leaders for the country”. - Baldev Raj A Report From In This Issue... International Strategic and Security • ISSSP: Featured Research Programme Studies Programme • Indo - Japanese Interdisciplinary Collaborative Initiative The International Strategic and Security Studies Programme (ISSSP) is one of the oldest, active and vibrant groups within the National Institute • Bridge Programme for Children of Advanced Studies (NIAS). Started in 1996 with the broad objective of conducting academic and policy research related to national and • Autonomy, Democracy and Academic Spaces international security issues, today the ISSSP has a national and global standing on those issues it is engaged with. • Past, Memory and History With a right mix of senior scholars, full time faculty, doctoral and post • NIAS PhD Programme Updates doctoral fellows and young research associates the ISSSP is one of the largest programme as well within the NIAS. • Recent News • New Faces In terms of research and related activities the ISSSP is sui generis. The primary emphasis of the ISSSP research is towards integrating complex • Whirls of Words elements of science and technology with policy, organizational and institutional arrangements. • Birds and Blooms Primary Research Focus and War and Security: analyses the A Strategy for nuclear tests of Publications India” , the report North Korea in presents a critical January 2016. This Research carried out by the ISSSP appraisal of Indian report was well reflects the rapidly changing geo- capabilities to received at the political and technology adaptation monitor and global level and scenarios that affect the national and use the space quoted widely. international strategic conditions. environment for various military tasks. These include Current and emerging scenarios relating Command & Control, Intelligence, NIAS Strategic Forecasts to nuclear, missiles and space weapons Surveillance & Reconnaissance as well as are reflective of such an impact and have a number of other space functions such During 2016, as a part of its expanding formed the core area of research. as navigation and weather services. It publications, the Programme has makes a strong case for a new strategy started a new series—NIAS Strategic The latest ISSSP that integrates these components Forecasts, looking at the future based report titled “The into a coherent national strategy on contemporary developments. The Promise of Small that is relevant for the country at this Programme has published the following Satellites for point in time. The formulation and from January 2016. National Security,” implementation of such a strategy will authored by Prof also need a significant enhancement in The New Symphony: Indo- US Rajaram Nagappa capabilities to build and launch satellites. Entente in the Indo Pacific provides a survey These are identified in detail. Vice Admiral Vijay Shankar of small satellites NIAS Strategic Forecast 08. that can be employed for military ISR Two more recent reports, titled requirements. The report also examines “Identification of Uranium Mill sites Global Transformations: Four Tectonic satellite and launch history of ISRO and from Open Source satellite Images” & Shifts concludes while ISRO has demonstrated “Estimating Uranium Mill Capacity Using Vijay Shankar technological capabilities, there is a Satellite Pictures” NIAS Strategic Forecast 07, April 2016. lack of capacity in the country to meet authored jointly by the military space requirements. The S. Chandrashekar, China and the Arctic: Evolving report also carries a survey of small Lalitha Geopolitics satellite launch vehicles and determines Sundaresan Teshu Singh a launch vehicle capable of placing a & Bhupendra NIAS Strategic small satellite of Jassani focus on Forecast 06, April 350 kg mass in the use of openly 2016. an orbit around available satellite 500 km can be imagery for the Myanmar 2016: configured using identification of Uranium mills. What next for the available rocket/ NLD? missile stages in Its authors explained “using a sample of M. Mayilvaganan the country. The known Uranium mills from across the NIAS Strategic advantage of using world a set of keys has been derived. These Forecast 05, readily available keys link observables in the satellite image March 2016. and flight-qualified (Google Earth image) with equipment stages is that the development time can and materials related to the processing of Will Pakistan be effectively reduced. For generating a Uranium ore. Based on these features and Integrate Gilgit faster turn around of the small satellite their sequencing in the process a step by Baltistan? And launch vehicle and satellites, increased step algorithm for the identification of a What If? industry involvement is essential. Uranium mill has been worked out.” D. Suba Chandran NIAS Strategic Another major report published during Another timely report authored by Forecast 04, 2016 by the Programme was authored Arun Vishwanathan, S. Chandrashekar, February 26, 2016. by Prof S Chandrashekar. Titled “Space, L.V. Krishnan and Lalitha Sundaresan 2 NIAS NEWSLETTER JULY 2016 India and East Heavy Water leakage at the Kakrapar Some of the recent ISSSP events Asia: Will Science Nuclear Power Plant include the following: and Technology Kaveri Ashok, June 2,2016. bring them India and Nuclear Suppliers Group closer? Myanmar’s Rohingyas: Power Public Lecture by Dr. N. Ramamoorthy, Sandip Kumar Struggle, Buddhist Assertion & Ethnic July 5, 2016. Mishra Divide NIAS Strategic Albertina Nithya B, May 31, 2016. Armed Conflicts, Peace Audit and Forecast 03, Early Warning February 2016. The Madhesi Conundrum: Making Regional Workshop, June 2016. Sense of India’s Stand India and the Middle East Crises Sanjal Shastri, May 3, 2016. Are the Indian Fishermen ‘Carefully Ranjit Gupta Careless’? NIAS Strategic Forecast 02, DPP – 2016: A New Face of “Make in NIAS Wednesday Discussion by M February 2016. India” in Defence Mayilvaganan, June 2016. Prakash Panneerselvam, April 18, 2016. Indian Ocean 2016: Major Peshawar to Charsadda: Is the NAP Trends adequate to deal with the TTP? Vijay Sakhuja Riffath Khaji, March 1, 2016. NIAS Strategic Forecast 01, NTI’s 2016 Nuclear Security Index China-Pakistan Economic Corridor February 2016. Report and its Implications for India Beenish Altaf, February 24, 2016. ISSSP Reflections Public Lecture by Dr. Christian Wagner, June 2016. PLA Rocket Force: Adding fuel to the ISSSP Reflections are short Dragon’s ‘Fire’? Blue Economy: A Maritime Strategy commentaries on contemporary Mrunalini Deshpande, February 22, for India’s Growth issues covering a broad range of 2016. NIAS Wednesday Discussion by Adarsh issues related to India’s national Vijay, June 2016. security, strategy, techno-political Nepal: Why are the Madhesis not developments and global affairs. The willing to compromise? platform offers authors an opportunity Sanjal Shastri, February 18, 2016. to reflect on relevant issues and challenge conventional wisdom by comprehensively covering the ‘Whys’ Seminars / Conferences / and ‘Hows’ of the debate. Workshops Rising Radicalisation in India’s Some of the recent reflections will As a part of its research and outreach Neighbourhood: Bangladesh and include the following: activities, the ISSSP organises a Myanmar series of events and discussions on NIAS Wednesday Discussion by Sourina Findings of the Permanent Court contemporary issues. Bej and Albertina Nithya, June 2016. of Arbitration: A Major Diplomatic Setback to China How Peaceful is our Peace? R.N. Ganesh, July 14, 2016. NIAS Wednesday Discussion by D.Suba Chandran, June 2016. Threats and Challenges in Countering Lone Wolf Attacks Harsh Vasani, July 7, 2016. Bangladesh in Limbo over Blogger Deaths Sourina Bej, June 6, 2016. JULY 2016 NIAS NEWSLETTER 3 The Fissile Materials Debate in South Sanjal Shastri, “The Brussels In June 2016 alone, three of ISSSP Asia Ultimatum,”Mainstream, 23 April 2016. research interns made presentations to Panel Discussion with Prof. R. Rajaraman the larger NIAS audience as a part the and Dr. L. V. Krishnan, February 2016. Kuhan Madan, “India’s Pluralistic Institute’s Wednesday discussions. Islam Under Siege,” Diplomat, 29 April Will China supersede the US?: 2016. Distilling facts from fiction ISSSP PhD Courses Public Lecture by Dr. Raj Verma, D. Suba