International Strategic and Security Studies

The lunar missions gained impetus in the 21st century after decades of lull. The newer sprite in lunar missions began with orbiter and impact missions, which included India’s moon -impact probe onboard the Chandrayaan 1, in 2008. Subsequent robotic missions included orbiters, landers and rovers as well as sample collection missions. The Lunar south polar regions which is under permanent shadow is expected to have reserves of water-ice, essential for lunar habitation and as a source for future deep space missions(space) operating from lunar surface. Other Lunar resources include helium 3 a potential source for nuclear fusion reactors and other minerals which can be commercially exploited and in-situ resource utilization. Consequently, number of countries, space agencies and private parties are keen on lunar exploration. This report details the lunar explorations carried out and being planned, the initiatives taken by leading space faring countries and the technological aspects of lunar exploration. The role of international cooperation is emphasized.

This article seek to explain and analyze Japan effort in creating a maritime-based security network in the region. Also, how Japan engagement in various bilateral, trilateral and quadrilateral partnership is shaping regional maritime security initiative in the Indo-Pacific region.

Hypersonic missiles operating at or more than five times the speed of sound pose a major security threat. Their high operating speeds, low flight altitudes and maneuverability severely compress the detection time and response decision. China, Russia and US have deployed some of these weapon systems or are in the process of deploying them. The technology is under development in India, Japan and France. The technology has both civilian and military applications.

A dominant discourse links displacement with development (economic growth and modernization) as a critical factor. The dominance of “development” discourse on displacement has, however, overlooked some critical discourses such as resource conflict and political opportunism. Lately, literature has focused on resource conflicts, violent or otherwise, that have contributed substantially to large-scale displacements. Similarly, politics, in terms of using the issue of displacement as political capital to capture power, don’t allow the issue to die down. Hence, in many cases, the pains of displacement don’t reduce as the demands of the displaced are conveniently overlooked. Based on observations through extensive field research, the chapter argues that while the development activities are important factors of displacement in Odisha, the more localized conflicts, especially among the marginalized communities backed by external forces such as the Maoists and the state officials, have also contributed to large-scale displacement.

One of the effective and proven ways to overcome these challenges and to protect infantry units from enemy’s hostile fire is the use of trenches…. In the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war one can see the extensive use of the trenches to mitigate these challenges.

Research has also revealed various instances of clandestine and covert transfers of missile-related technology and material from North Korea and China to Pakistan.

From manned submarines to underwater drones, China’s stepped-up deployments in the region are concerning to India. 

To cite: S. Chandrashekar, Rajaram Nagappa and N.Ramani. David versus Goliath – US irrationality and nuclear war in the Korean Peninsula, Bangalore: International Strategic and Security Studies Programme, National Institute of Advanced Studies, September 2017,

The available evidence from all the nuclear weapon and missile tests conducted by North Korea between May and September this year suggest that Kim Jong Un is no irrational madman who will resort to nuclear war for some idiosyncratic or stupid reason. Rather, each test is part of a carefully calibrated set of signals that together establish that North Korea has in place an assured retaliatory capability directed at the US and its allies in the Asia Pacific region. Accepting this reality may provide a more viable approach for realizing stability in the Korean peninsula than resorting to the shrill and often ludicrous war of words that is currently going on.

The China US Space Rivalry & the New World Order What Should India Do?,

ISSSP Report No. 03-2018

Bangalore: International Strategic and Security Studies Programme, National Institute of Advanced Studies, September 2018

China and the US are following up on their visible demonstrations of war fighting capabilities in space with the necessary organizational changes needed to fight, win and deter wars in space. The setting up of the Strategic Support Force (SSF) with responsibilities for space, cyber and Electronic Warfare by China in 2015 was the first move. The US in response has gone one step further. It is setting up a new sixth service arm that will be exclusively responsible for all combat operations in space. It has finalized a plan that includes a new joint Space Development Agency (SDA), a new joint Space Operations Force (SOF) as well as a new joint Space Command. An integrated proposal on the new service arm will be submitted to Congress for approval in 2020.

Though these developments especially from China are likely to have a major impact, Indian decision makers seem to be blissfully unaware of the consequences. Neither the political establishment nor the military seem to understand how these will affect India’s war-fighting and war deterring capabilities in the information dominated world of today. Internal rigidities, lack of distributed domain expertise and an institutional inability to come to grips with the new realities are evident in the sporadic and uncoordinated responses that India has been making. There is no evidence that these trends are likely to reverse soon