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Bashir Ali Abbas

Senior Research Associate

Bashir Ali Abbas is a Research Associate at CSDR.

Bashir is a member of the facilitating team for Chao Track, the oldest active Track II process between India and Pakistan, at CSDR. He undertakes analytical research reports for defense and security-related matters for stakeholders such as the British High Commission and the Norwegian Centre for Conflict Resolution. Bashir has led and coordinated a research project related to the Western Indian Ocean, collaborating with researchers in India and the UK. His research focus includes strategic and political issues in South Asia and the Middle East.

Bashir was a South Asia Visiting Fellow for 2024 at the Stimson Center, Washington DC where he authored a policy memo on naval competition in the Indian Ocean with a focus on naval nuclear deterrence. He currently writes on issues in the Middle East for The Indian Express, and has formerly been a Middle East columnist for Hindustan Times. Formerly, he has been a Network for Advanced Studies on Pakistan (NASP) Fellow at the Takshashila Institution, where his research primarily focused on the Pakistan Navy, its doctrine, and operations. He has previously hosted CSDR’s courses on India’s Foreign Policy and Military Strategy, as well as participated in developing the Indo-Pacific Circle. Bashir has also curated concept notes for policy round-tables and the ideating, and drafting process for several proposals.

Bashir holds an MA in Political Science from the University of Delhi and a BA in English, Political Science, and History from Christ University, Bangalore. He has also worked at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies and the National Maritime Foundation, focusing on international law, armed conflict, naval issues, and terrorism. Bashir’s writings have appeared in The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, South Asian Voices, Frontline Magazine, The Hindu, The Diplomat, and a number of New Delhi-based think tanks including the Observer Research Foundation.

Areas of
Expertise

Conflict Resolution and International Law

Nuclear Deterrence and Crisis Escalation

Terrorism and Violent Non-State Actors

Track II Diplomacy

Traditional Security Issues in South Asia

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)

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

Dr. Gaurav Saini

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

Team

Araudra Singh

Research Intern

Araudra is a Research Intern at CSDR.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Experts

Prof. Sumit Ganguly

Distinguished Fellow

Prof. Sumit Ganguly is a Senior Fellow and the Director of the Huntington Program on Strengthening the US-India Relationship at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is also the Rabindranath Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations Emeritus and Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Indiana University in Bloomington.

Dr. Iqbal Singh Sevea

Distinguished Fellow

Dr. Sevea is an Associate Professor and Director of the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) at the National University of Singapore (NUS). An internationally recognized scholar of contemporary and modern South Asia, his research focuses on South Asian politics and social and political thought.

Ajay Bisaria

Ajay Bisaria is a distinguished diplomat, strategic consultant, and commentator on international affairs. With a career spanning 35 years in the Indian Foreign Service, he has played pivotal roles in shaping India’s key economic and security relationships.

Dr. Tishya Khillare

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.

Atul Chandra

Non-Resident Fellow

Atul is a Non-Resident Fellow at CSDR and supports our work on Aerospace and Defense industry.

Dr. Debak Das

Non-Resident Fellow

Debak is a Non-Resident Fellow at CSDR and supports our work on Nuclear security and international security.

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IDEAS INSPIRING CHANGE, GLOBAL IMPACT

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