Harsh V Pant
Biographic Data
| ID | 258599 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Harsh V Pant |
| GIVEN NAMES | Harsh V |
| FAMILY NAME | Pant |
| SIGNATURE | PANT H V |
| AFFILIATIONS | King's College London |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5625-7185 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 71 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 103 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 70 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2002 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
India-US Relations
China’s 2020 Line of Actual Control (LAC) incursion
India and the Gulf
India's foreign policy in the Gulf has been a confounding situation for years. From the oil boom of the 1970s until Manmohan Singh took office in 2004, the density of India's interactions with the region, in the form of migration, financial remittances, or trade, surpassed by multiple orders of magnitude India's diplomatic and strategic ties with the Gulf states. The volume aims to examine the subject from a variety of theoretical lenses and meth…
Asian Military Evolutions
South Korea’s New Indo-Pacific Strategy
Korea and India have had a Special Strategic Partnership in place from 2015 and the India-Korea diplomatic relations have entered its 50th year, but still the full potential of the relationship has not been tapped into by both sides. Korea's New Southern Policy and India's Act East Policy did provide some momentum and some significant progress in the cultural, people-to-people links were seen, but when it came to strategic and hard security issue…
India and the Quad
Biden at the White House and discussed a range of global issues. At the summit, Modi emphasised 'establishing peace in the Indo-Pacific region' with 'like-minded countries' that share democratic values
India and maritime governance in the Indian ocean
The article argues that geopolitics is a major obstacle to an effective Indian policy on substantive maritime governance. It holds that India’s involvement in maritime governance is predominantly shaped by geopolitics and driven by two geopolitical concerns, Delhi’s drive to counter China’s expanding influence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and India’s pursuit of leadership in that region. This emphasis on geopolitics is perfectly reasonable fr…
India in the Indo-Pacific
Comprising aspiring economies, significant reserves of social, human and natural capital, and witnessing the bulk of maritime trade, global as well as intra-region interests are inextricably tied to the Indo-Pacific. Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in exposing the fault lines in the Indo-Pacific which was already fraught with competing as well as cooperative geopolitical equations. In the context of regional and global actors being…
India’s subregional connectivity initiatives
Geopolitical interests and concerns motivate India’s renewed push for subregional connectivity. The evolving subregional approach aims at re-integrating India’s immediate neighborhood with the aim of protecting New Delhi’s traditional regional primacy. Historically, the Partition of the Indian subcontinent terminated a well-connected common space. Decades after its independence, India has turned toward reconnecting with its immediate neighbors cl…
India, China, and the Indo-Pacific
The growing importance of the Indian and Pacific Oceans and the rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape in Asia have brought the Indo-Pacific construct to the center of global political discourse
The 5G Question and India's Conundrum
The US-India-China ‘Strategic triangle’
As the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government settles in its second term with a plethora of foreign policy challenges looming large, it faces unusual headwinds from what should b
The India–US–China triangle from New Delhi
With the focus of global politics shifting to the Indo-Pacific and the maritime domain becoming the new theater of global power politics, the triangular relationship between India, the US, and China needs a fresh evaluation. This article examines the evolution of the India-US-China triangle since the end of the Cold War from the perspective of New Delhi. It argues that a combination of structural and domestic political variables has led to a sign…
India's national security
India faces a very challenging strategic environment, with its immediate opponents possessing significant capabilities and militaries that are modernizing rapidly. This article explores the opportunities, challenges and constraints confronting the Indian state in building its military strength to deal with its variegated threat environment. It examines how India has dealt with the use of force and how it seeks to shape its armed forces in the fac…
Indian counterterrorism policy and the influence of the Global War on Terror
India has been a major victim of Islamist terrorism and has long fought against an array of Islamist terrorist groups. Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, India's previously lonely struggle against terrorism has taken place against the background of the US-led Global War on Terror (GWOT). After outlining India's Islamist terrorist challenge, this article examines India's evolving approach to counterterrorism and how the GWOT has influenced it. It c…
Is India Ready for the Indo-Pacific
One of the key geopolitical developments in 2017 was the first-ever formal enshrinement of the “Indo-Pacific” as a unified strategic theater in the U.S. National Security Strategy.1 Subsequently, t
Rising powers and the global nuclear order
The global nuclear order has been built around the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), primarily aimed at addressing the challenges of nuclear non-proliferation. In the last two decades, this order has faced growing challenges from the demands of emerging nuclear powers which it has been unable to meet effectively. These powers have either been outside the order, like India, Israel and Pakistan, or withdrawn from it, like No…
South Asia's Changing Geopolitical Landscape
India in Chabahar
Since the 1990s India has been committed to the completion of the Chabahar Port despite external and internal constraints that slowed the project’s development. This article explores the reasons behind Indian interest in the development of the Chabahar Port, and the challenges this project continues to face
Can BRICS Shape a New World Order
On the face of it, the BRICS grouping seems to be gaining momentum with every passing year. Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, collectively referred to as the BRICS, launched the multi-billion-dollar development bank at their seventh annual summit, held in the Russian city of Ufa amid efforts to finance infrastructure projects, mainly in member countries. And in July 2015, the $100 billion New Development Bank (NDB) was inaugurated b…
The End of Non-Alignment
Europe in emerging Asia
The global centre of gravity is shifting to Asia, the international system is undergoing a profound reordering and Europe is trying hard to accommodate these new realities. The rise of China and India, for example, has presented Europe with several opportunities that it is trying its best to harness. But while trade and economics seem to have given Europe a reference point vis-à-vis the Asian region, politically it seems adrift, as the EU is find…
Indo-US relations under Modi
This article examines the transformation in Indo-US relations in the first two years of the Modi government. It first discusses the state of Indo-US relations before Modi's ascent to the premiership in May 2014. The challenges confronting the relationship were not strictly bilateral; Modi's image and its historical baggage had also made them personal. Subsequently, the article elaborates on the significant progress made in the bilateral relations…
Assessing Maritime Power in the Asia-Pacific
Rise of the Indian Navy
The BRICS Fallacy
Coping with challenges to sovereignty
This paper analyzes the different strategies pursued by China and India in their ongoing security competition in Nepal, and the latter's foreign policy responses to this competition. It examines whether both China and India have accepted the status quo in Nepal, or are incessantly looking for opportunities to expand their influence in the country. First, a theoretical framework of great power politics is provided to examine the Sino‐Indian power …
India in Afghanistan
India's role is seen as crucial for the long-term stability of Afghanistan, and India realizes that a stable, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan is also in its strategic interests. This article examines the trends in India's ties with Afghanistan in the past few years and argues that, driven by its growing regional and global ambitions, India is following a multi-pronged strategy in Afghanistan. A range of factors are propelling India towards …
A Rising India's Search for a Foreign Policy
Feasibility of the Russia-China-India “Strategic Triangle
The present international system is defined by the phenomenal power that the United States (US) enjoys relative to any other state in the system. With the US as the world's only super power, the idea has taken hold in some capitals that big countries such as Russia, China and India should work concertedly to balance the US influence. One of the major endeavours on this front has been an attempt by Russia, China and India to forge trilateral coope…
Rising China in India's vicinity
New Delhi has been grappling with the challenge of China's rapid rise for some time now. Even as they sign loftily worded documents year after year, the distrust between China and India is actually growing at an alarming rate. True, economic cooperation and bilateral political as well as socio-cultural exchanges are at an all time high; China is India's largest trading partner. Yet this cooperation has done little to assuage each country's concer…
India’s subregional connectivity initiatives
Geopolitical interests and concerns motivate India’s renewed push for subregional connectivity. The evolving subregional approach aims at re-integrating India’s immediate neighborhood with the aim of protecting New Delhi’s traditional regional primacy. Historically, the Partition of the Indian subcontinent terminated a well-connected common space. Decades after its independence, India has turned toward reconnecting with its immediate neighbors cl…
Indo-US relations under Modi
This article examines the transformation in Indo-US relations in the first two years of the Modi government. It first discusses the state of Indo-US relations before Modi's ascent to the premiership in May 2014. The challenges confronting the relationship were not strictly bilateral; Modi's image and its historical baggage had also made them personal. Subsequently, the article elaborates on the significant progress made in the bilateral relations…
India's 'non-alignment' conundrum
The idea of non-alignment has remained a central component of Indian identity in global politics that is manifest in continuities: since independence in 1947 India has been in pursuit of strategic autonomy, a quest that in practice has led to semi-alliances fashioned under the cover of non-alignment and shaped by regional dynamics. In this setting, the rise of China now raises an interesting conundrum for Indian policy-makers as New Delhi seeks t…
China on the Horizon
Indian Foreign Policy Challenges
India is on the threshold of great power status but it has yet to match up to the accompanying foreign policy challenges. The approach followed by Nehru and Mrs Gandhi is not appropriate for a uni-polar world, not least because their approach lacked the underpinning of a coherent strategic analysis. That in turn demands an institutionalisation of the formulation of foreign policy. The creation of a National Security Council was supposed to remedy…
The US–India nuclear deal
The United States (US)–India nuclear pact has virtually rewritten the rules of the global nuclear regime by underlining India's credentials as a responsible nuclear state that should be integrated into the global nuclear order. The nuclear agreement creates a major exception to the US prohibition of nuclear assistance to any country that does not accept international monitoring of all its nuclear facilities. Given its far-reaching implications, t…
India, China, and the Indo-Pacific
The growing importance of the Indian and Pacific Oceans and the rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape in Asia have brought the Indo-Pacific construct to the center of global political discourse
India's national security
India faces a very challenging strategic environment, with its immediate opponents possessing significant capabilities and militaries that are modernizing rapidly. This article explores the opportunities, challenges and constraints confronting the Indian state in building its military strength to deal with its variegated threat environment. It examines how India has dealt with the use of force and how it seeks to shape its armed forces in the fac…
Is India Ready for the Indo-Pacific
One of the key geopolitical developments in 2017 was the first-ever formal enshrinement of the “Indo-Pacific” as a unified strategic theater in the U.S. National Security Strategy.1 Subsequently, t
The End of Non-Alignment
Indo-Japanese Strategic Partnership and Power Transition in Asia
As the U.S.-led security order in Asia gradually comes under stress, regional powers such as India and Japan are formulating a strategic partnership to hedge against the vulnerabilities accruing out of the unfolding power transition in Asia. China’s unprecedented economic and military rise coupled with America’s perceived relative decline is drawing New Delhi and Tokyo into a strategic embrace. To insure their interests in this era of great power…
The Pakistan Thorn in China–India–U.S. Relations
China's Naval Expansion in the Indian Ocean and India-China Rivalry
After dramatically increasing its military expenditure over the last several years, in 2010 China has raised it by only 7.5 percent, marking the first time in nearly 21 years that the rate of increase has fallen below double digits. While there are a number of factors behind this, the Chinese government has used this to announce its pacific intent, underlining that it has always tried to limit military spending and set defence spending at a reaso…
India in the Indian Ocean
Given the rise of major economic powers in the Asia-Pacific that rely on energy imports to sustain their economic growth, the Indian Ocean region has assumed a new importance. Various powers are once again vying for the control of the waves in this part of the world. This article examines the emerging Indian approach towards the Indian Ocean in the context of India's rise as a major regional and global actor. It argues that though India has histo…
India's Nuclear Doctrine and Command Structure
India finalized its nuclear command structure and formalized its nuclear doctrine in January 2003, nearly five years after coming out of the nuclear closet and openly declaring itself as a nuclear-weapon state. While a clearly enunciated nuclear doctrine and command structure are seen by some as essential in enhancing regional stability and assuaging the concerns of the international community, its implications for the civil-military relations in…
A Fine Balance
India's Nuclear Doctrine and Command Structure
In January 2003, nearly five years after openly declaring itself as a nuclear weapon state, India finalized its nuclear command structure and formalized its nuclear doctrine. This work argues that while a clear enunciation of its nuclear doctrine and command structure will enhance regional stability and assure the international community, it is at the operational level that India continues to, and will have to work harder to, achieve its nuclear …
The Moscow-Beijing-Delhi ‘Strategic Triangle’
The unparalleled position of the United States in the international political system has given rise to an attempt in recent times by Russia, China, and India to forge trilateral cooperation into what has been termed as a ‘strategic triangle’. This article argues that the possibility of the emergence of such a ‘strategic triangle’ remains quite low given the present structure of international politics, where the USA has more comprehensive ties wit…
Indian counterterrorism policy and the influence of the Global War on Terror
India has been a major victim of Islamist terrorism and has long fought against an array of Islamist terrorist groups. Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, India's previously lonely struggle against terrorism has taken place against the background of the US-led Global War on Terror (GWOT). After outlining India's Islamist terrorist challenge, this article examines India's evolving approach to counterterrorism and how the GWOT has influenced it. It c…
India and Nuclear Arms Control
The Bush Administration's decision to pursue the National Missile Defense reveals a lack of consideration for the significant role that the present arms control regime has played in maintaining global stability, both during and after the Cold War. This paper examines how the global nuclear arms control architecture interacted with India after its nuclear tests in 1998, in particular the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the role that it ha…
Economic Crisis and Regime Change
The Moscow-Beijing-Delhi ‘Strategic Triangle’
The unparalleled position of the United States in the international political system has given rise to an attempt in recent times by Russia, China, and India to forge trilateral cooperation into what has been termed as a ‘strategic triangle’. This article argues that the possibility of the emergence of such a ‘strategic triangle’ remains quite low given the present structure of international politics, where the USA has more comprehensive ties wit…
Coping with challenges to sovereignty
This paper analyzes the different strategies pursued by China and India in their ongoing security competition in Nepal, and the latter's foreign policy responses to this competition. It examines whether both China and India have accepted the status quo in Nepal, or are incessantly looking for opportunities to expand their influence in the country. First, a theoretical framework of great power politics is provided to examine the Sino‐Indian power …
India and Iran
Bilateral relations between India and Iran have been on an upswing since the early 1990s, and the recent visit by the Iranian president to India has infused them with new momentum. This paper examines the strategic rationale behind Indo-Iranian engagement and the constraints that still hamper this bilateral relationship from realizing its full potential
India Debates Missile Defense
India's Nuclear Doctrine and Command Structure
In January 2003, nearly five years after openly declaring itself as a nuclear weapon state, India finalized its nuclear command structure and formalized its nuclear doctrine. This work argues that while a clear enunciation of its nuclear doctrine and command structure will enhance regional stability and assure the international community, it is at the operational level that India continues to, and will have to work harder to, achieve its nuclear …
Feasibility of the Russia-China-India “Strategic Triangle
The present international system is defined by the phenomenal power that the United States (US) enjoys relative to any other state in the system. With the US as the world's only super power, the idea has taken hold in some capitals that big countries such as Russia, China and India should work concertedly to balance the US influence. One of the major endeavours on this front has been an attempt by Russia, China and India to forge trilateral coope…
The U.S.-India Nuclear Deal, Iran, and India's Future
What will India gain and lose from the U.S. proposal to support India's civilian nuclear program and welcome that nation into the nuclear club? The issues span India's energy profile, its position in South Asia, its historic aspirations as a leader of the non-aligned nations, and the future of the NPT. In the following article, Dr. Harsh Pant provides a multi-sided analysis of the proposed agreement in Indian, regional, and global perspective. On…
The US–India nuclear deal
The United States (US)–India nuclear pact has virtually rewritten the rules of the global nuclear regime by underlining India's credentials as a responsible nuclear state that should be integrated into the global nuclear order. The nuclear agreement creates a major exception to the US prohibition of nuclear assistance to any country that does not accept international monitoring of all its nuclear facilities. Given its far-reaching implications, t…
India's Nuclear Doctrine and Command Structure
India finalized its nuclear command structure and formalized its nuclear doctrine in January 2003, nearly five years after coming out of the nuclear closet and openly declaring itself as a nuclear-weapon state. While a clearly enunciated nuclear doctrine and command structure are seen by some as essential in enhancing regional stability and assuaging the concerns of the international community, its implications for the civil-military relations in…
A Fine Balance
India and Bangladesh
The interests of India and Bangladesh have been diverging for some years now, bringing the two countries to what is probably the nadir of their bilateral relations. This article examines the factors shaping these relations and argues that a host of structural and domestic political variables are pulling India and Bangladesh in opposite directions. This deterioration in ties can have important consequences for the two states, South Asia, and the i…
India's Emerging Missile Capability
In May 2008, India successfully test-fired the 3500 km range surface-to-surface nuclear capable Agni-III missile. In many ways, Agni-III is the centerpiece of India's credible, minimum deterrent nuclear posture. Yet while the successful test-firing of Agni-III goes a long way in enhancing the credibility of India's nuclear posture, it is unlikely to lead to an effective Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) capability for India in the near t…
The US-India Nuclear Pact
This article examines the process through which India and the United States made their bilateral civilian nuclear energy cooperation pact a reality. Using the levels of analysis approach, this article examines the factors that were instrumental in shaping up the nuclear agreement as well as the negotiating process as it evolved in the United States and India with a special focus on how political leaderships in the two states managed domestic oppo…
A Rising India's Search for a Foreign Policy
South Asia
Indian Foreign Policy Challenges
India is on the threshold of great power status but it has yet to match up to the accompanying foreign policy challenges. The approach followed by Nehru and Mrs Gandhi is not appropriate for a uni-polar world, not least because their approach lacked the underpinning of a coherent strategic analysis. That in turn demands an institutionalisation of the formulation of foreign policy. The creation of a National Security Council was supposed to remedy…
South Asia
India in the Indian Ocean
Given the rise of major economic powers in the Asia-Pacific that rely on energy imports to sustain their economic growth, the Indian Ocean region has assumed a new importance. Various powers are once again vying for the control of the waves in this part of the world. This article examines the emerging Indian approach towards the Indian Ocean in the context of India's rise as a major regional and global actor. It argues that though India has histo…
Causes and Consequences of Nuclear South Asia
Inside Nuclear South Asia.Edited by Scott D. Sagan. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2009. 296 Pages. Paperback, $27.95. Asymmetric Warfare in South Asia: The Causes and Consequences of the
India in Afghanistan
India's role is seen as crucial for the long-term stability of Afghanistan, and India realizes that a stable, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan is also in its strategic interests. This article examines the trends in India's ties with Afghanistan in the past few years and argues that, driven by its growing regional and global ambitions, India is following a multi-pronged strategy in Afghanistan. A range of factors are propelling India towards …
South Asia
South Asia
China's Naval Expansion in the Indian Ocean and India-China Rivalry
After dramatically increasing its military expenditure over the last several years, in 2010 China has raised it by only 7.5 percent, marking the first time in nearly 21 years that the rate of increase has fallen below double digits. While there are a number of factors behind this, the Chinese government has used this to announce its pacific intent, underlining that it has always tried to limit military spending and set defence spending at a reaso…
Political science (63 works) · Economics (43 works) · Law (42 works) · Law (38 works) · Politics (36 works) · Geography (30 works) · Development economics (28 works) · International Relations and Foreign Policy (27 works) · Political economy (25 works) · Sociology (23 works)