AI and Nuclear Risk: India’s Imperative in the Age of Intelligent Warfare

This report argues that the inevitable integration of AI into nuclear command systems creates unprecedented risks of inadvertent escalation and miscalculation. Facing China’s “intelligentized warfare” and Pakistan’s asymmetric capabilities, India risks strategic obsolescence if it fails to modernize. The authors propose a dual strategy: India must accelerate indigenous AI development for deterrence while championing an International AI Security Council to enforce human oversight and global norms in this volatile new era.

Recasting India’s Air Defence Architecture: Countering the Drone and Swarm Threat

This report argues that India’s traditional air defence (AD) architecture—reliant on expensive, centralized missile systems—is becoming obsolete against the proliferating threat of low-cost, autonomous drone swarms. The May 2025 “Operation Sindoor” crisis exposed a critical “cost asymmetry”: expending million-dollar interceptors against disposable $2,000 FPV drones is economically unsustainable, allowing adversaries to easily exhaust India’s magazine depth.

Aligned Orbits: Forging a New Era of Indo-German Space Collaboration

This report assesses the Indo-German space partnership, noting that despite historical ties since 1963, the bilateral space relationship has underperformed largely due to ISRO’s monopoly and Germany’s ESA-centric focus. However, a pivotal opportunity has emerged, driven by concurrent major policy shifts in both countries, including a series of Indian reforms (since 2020) to privatize its space sector and Germany’s recently announced $41 billion defense space investment.

Decoding the Eastern Sector: India, China, and the McMahon Line

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the India-China boundary dispute, focusing specifically on the dynamic Eastern Sector (Arunachal Pradesh). It traces the historical and legal origins of the conflict, from the 1914 Simla Convention and the establishment of the McMahon Line to the complex diplomatic negotiations of the post-independence era. The study argues that China’s maximalist claims in the East are less about genuine historical sovereignty and more about strategic leverage—aimed primarily at compelling India to recognize the status quo in Aksai Chin.

Korea Chair Bulletin: October-November 2025

The Korea Chair Bulletin provides research-driven insights into India-South Korea relations, covering policy shifts, strategic dialogues, and emerging trends. It also highlights key developments and news from the Korean Peninsula.

India-Canada Bilateral Trade Relations: Trends, Opportunities, and the Path to CEPA

India-Canada bilateral trade reached CAD 30.9 billion in 2024 but remains underutilized. Despite 2023 diplomatic tensions, economic ties proved resilient. A proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) could add CAD 8.8 billion in trade by 2035. Priority sectors include pharmaceuticals, critical minerals, agriculture, IT services, and clean energy, offering mutual strategic benefits.