About National Security Conversations with Happymon Jacob
It is a series that discusses critical issues relating to India's national security and foreign policy with well-known experts from India and around the world.
NSC : “India is Seen As a Benign Power in Africa, Which is Not the Case With China!” | EPISODE 126
In this episode, Dr. Happymon Jacob interviews Amb. Rajiv Bhatia (Rtd. Indian Diplomat & Distinguished Fellow at the Gateway House) about India’s engagement with Africa and the nature of strategic challenge from increasing Chinese presence and strategic depth in the continent. He highlights China’s economic, political and strategic interests in Africa, given its natural resources, numerical heft in the international fora, and significance for China’s rise as a global power. Amb. Bhatia argues that while India is seen as a benign power, the reality of Chinese power is becoming increasingly apparent. He also acknowledges that India has made significant gains in the last decade and a half but warns that its grip on Africa has gotten looser in the past 3-4 years due to Covid-19, Galwan, and Ukraine crises. He stresses that it is crucial to recognize that India’s Indo-Pacific concept spans the Indian Ocean, including Africa’s East Coast in the Western Indian Ocean and the African continent.
31 May 2022
NSC: Understanding ‘How China Sees India and the World’ with Shyam Saran | EPISODE 125
For the 125th episode of NSC, Dr. Happymon Jacob hosts a live discussion with Amb. Shyam Saran (India’s Former Foreign Secretary & Author) about his latest book titled, ‘How China Sees India and the World’.
26 May 2022
NSC : Refugees Are Not Always Security Threats; They Can Be Strategic Assets to the Host State” | Episode 124
In this episode, Dr. Happymon Jacob speaks with Dr. Avinash Paliwal (Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Deputy Director of the SOAS South Asia Institute) to discuss the Indian state’s response to conflict-generated migrations since independence. Dr. Paliwal argues that the relationship between the home and the host state and the reputational benefits are the most important factors influencing a state’s response to the conflict generated migrant crisis. The interview explains the nature of India’s relation with the international refugee regime – including its refusal to sign the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol – and highlights the absence of a domestic legislative framework to distinguish between illegal migrants and refugees. In response to the recent movement of Rohingyas from India to Bangladesh, Dr. Paliwal argues that domestic politics appears to have gained the upper hand in India. He suggests that India’s approach to conflict-generated migrations has witnessed a fundamental shift since it dealt with the Rohingyas. Dr. Paliwal appreciates India’s overall approach to dealing with conflict-generated migrant crises compared to many western states, given the state of India’s economy and issues of caste, class, and diversity within the country. Focusing on Myanmar since the coup and Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, the interview also interrogates the novel development in India’s foreign policy to deal with whoever happens to be in power, regardless of the regime type. For Afghanistan, Dr. Paliwal makes a strong case that India should have a presence and outreach in Kabul to avoid any strategic catastrophe.
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