Projects: 20+
Publications: 35+
Partners: 20+
Events: 50+

The Council for Strategic and Defense Research (CSDR) is an independent, New Delhi-based think tank providing strategic analysis and policy recommendations to governments, businesses, and institutions. We address critical global challenges through rigorous research and a deep understanding of regional dynamics. 

CSDR integrates global perspectives with practical experience, ensuring our partners receive innovative and context-specific solutions. 

Our expertise spans foreign policy, geopolitical risk, connectivity and geoeconomics, defense and aerospace, military strategy, strategic technologies, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, climate change, energy security, and technology policy. We specialize in the Indian subcontinent, Eurasia, and the Indo-Pacific region. 

OUR STORY AND PURPOSE

CSDR was founded on the belief that rigorous, independent analysis is essential for navigating the complexities of the 21st-century global landscape. Recognizing the need for a deeper understanding of the evolving geopolitical dynamics—particularly within the Indian subcontinent, Eurasia, and the Indo-Pacific—CSDR was established to bridge the gap between academic research and practical policy-making. 

We are committed to fostering informed dialogue and providing objective insights that go beyond partisan perspectives. Our approach has evolved to include not only traditional security concerns but also the interrelated challenges of climate change, technological disruption, and economic interdependence. 

CSDR’s team of researchers and practitioners offers diverse perspectives along with a shared commitment to delivering impactful analysis that supports a more secure, stable, and prosperous future. We continuously adapt our research agenda to tackle the most urgent issues confronting our partners and the world. 

FOUNDERS

Dr. Happymon Jacob

Founder & Director
Happymon Jacob is the founder and director of CSDR. He directs CSDR’s research and activities across divisions.

Lt Gen D S Hooda (Retd)

Co-Founder
D S Hooda co-founded CSDR and directs projects of its defense and security verticals.

Dr. Gaurav Saini

Co-Founder
Gaurav Saini is co-founder of CSDR and leads product design and partnerships.

TEAM

Torunika Roy

Research Assistant
Torunika Roy is a PhD candidate in Korean Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She holds a BA from Ewha Womans University and an MA from JNU. Her research focuses on gender dynamics, low fertility rates, denuclearization, and socio-political issues in East Asia, particularly South Korea.

Shashank Tiwari

Research Intern
Shashank is a research intern at CSDR, where he focuses on international security and defense. He holds a master’s degree in Politics (International & Area Studies) from Jamia Millia Islamia and a bachelor’s in Political Science from Mumbai University’s K.J. Somaiya College.

Chiara Boldrini

Visiting Researcher
Chiara Boldrini is a PhD candidate in Political and Social Sciences at the University of Bologna, and a visiting researcher at CSDR.

Moksh Suri

Research Intern
Moksh Suri is a Research Intern at the Council for Strategic and Defense Research.

Akanksha Baruah

Program Assistant
Akansha is a rProgram Assistant at CSDR.

Araudra Singh

Research Intern
Araudra is a Research Intern at CSDR.

Radhey Shyam

Office Manager
Radhey manages the CSDR office and ensures it remains a welcoming and enabling environment for CSDR staff and guests.

Hely Desai

Research Associate
Hely Desai is a nuclear policy expert and Research Fellow at CTBTO, focusing on South Asian nuclear policy. With an MPhil from Cambridge, she has worked at the Centre for Air Power Studies and India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Keerthana Reddy

Research Intern
Keerthana, a BA (Hons.) student in International Relations and Economics, specializes in research, policy analysis, and strategic studies. At CSDR, she works under the Inclusive Foreign and Security Policy Program.

Dr. Tishya Khillare

Fellow
Dr. Tishya Khillare is a Fellow at CSDR. She leads CSDR’s work on Non-traditional Security issues in South Asia and the Indo Pacific, specifically on Climate Diplomacy, South-South and Triangular Cooperation, Feminist Foreign Policy, and Gender and Security.

Amba Wattal

Program Associate
Amba Wattal is a Program Associate (Indo-Pacific) at CSDR. She is currently working on the Indo-Pacific Circle, a regionally owned and operated platform for indigenous knowledge production and exchange for the Indo-Pacific.

Devika Makkat

Program Associate
Devika Makkat is Program Associate – Operations at CSDR.the Council for Strategic and Defense Research, New Delhi.

Amen Naithani

Research Associate
Amen is a Research Associate at CSDR and works on projects under the Indo-Pacific and Climate Security and Diplomacy programs.

Manu Sharma

Research Associate
Manu Sharma is a Research Associate at CSDR, specializing in visual politics and methodologies for International Security Studies. He supports CSDR’s research on peacebuilding, counterterrorism, and South Asian regionalism.

Ankit Tiwari

Research Associate
Ankit is a Research Associate at CSDR, and provides research support for projects under the Centre for Security and Defense. He regularly contributes to DIPTEL, CSDR’s weekly newsletter, and his writings have appeared in The Diplomat, Channel News Asia, Lowy Interpreter, South Asian Voices (Stimson), and other publications.

Nicholas Rixon

Consulting Editor
Nicholas Rixon is CSDR’s consulting editor.

Bashir Ali Abbas

Senior Research Associate
Bashir Ali Abbas is a Research Associate at CSDR.

Dr. Sidharth Raimedhi

Fellow
Sidharth Raimedhi is a Fellow at CSDR. He is the editor-in-chief, and contributor, to the DIPTEL newsletter which covers contemporary Indian foreign policy developments on a weekly basis.

Dr. Ritesh Kumar

Fellow
Ritesh Kumar is a Fellow at CSDR and leads on CSDR’s program on AI and Linguistics.

WHY WE EXIST

At CSDR, we are driven by our passion for critical thinking and rational analysis. By understanding the underlying forces that shape our world, we help our partners anticipate change and develop strategies that enable them to thrive in an ever-changing environment.

Our core values of independent research, informed advocacy, and inclusive dialogue guide everything we do. We are committed to delivering in-depth, non-partisan analysis that cuts through the noise and gives our partners the insights they need to make informed decisions. We are dedicated to fostering open and honest communication between stakeholders from all sectors, building bridges and fostering collaboration that drives real change.

With a team of highly competent researchers and practitioners and a focus on the Indian subcontinent, Eurasia, and the Indo-Pacific, CSDR is uniquely positioned to help its partners navigate the complex challenges of the 21st century. Our interventions drive real change in the thoughts and actions of our audiences. Effecting such change is what drives us forward.