IDSA: India's Premier Strategic Think Tank
By: Gunjan Singh
The foundation of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) can be seen in the backdrop of the Indo-China War of 1962 when the need for an independent and indigenous think tank on the security and defense aspects was felt by the country. Various models available like the Rand Corp, Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS) were studied and a think tank was formed essentially to cater to the Indian needs. The then Defence Minister Y.B. Chavan played a very vital role in the formation of the institute. The institute started functioning on November 11, 1965. Today the institute is considered to be the premier strategic and security studies Think Tank in India. Over the years the Institute has enlarged its focus of research from Defence Studies to cover issues of National and International Security. The Institute is funded by the Indian Ministry of Defence, but functions autonomously. Apart from research, the Institute also provides training programmes to civilian and military officers of the Government of India. The Indian Parliament's Standing Committee on Defence frequently utilizes the expertise of the Institute. The Institute is a non-partisan, autonomous body dedicated to objective research and policy relevant studies on all aspects of defense and security.
Presently the Institute comprises of approximately 55 members ranging from Senior Fellows to Research Assistants. A large number of them hold a PhD degree and a few of the young scholars are pursuing their Doctoral Degrees. An average of 15 to 20 percent of the research faculty is from the Defence Services who are on deputation from their respective services. Apart from regular scholars the Institute also comprises of a number of Visiting Fellows. Most of them are eminent scholars in their respective areas from India or abroad.
The Institute publishes a referred journal called the Strategic Analysis. This has been in print since 1977. Since 2007 the Institute is publishing this journal in association with Routledge (Taylor and Francis Group) as a bi-monthly journal. The journal carries articles of the scholars from the Institute as well from outside (India as well as abroad). The Institute also publishes Strategic Digest which is a monthly compendium of important speeches, official documents and statements as well as news summaries culled from various sources. The Institute also brings out the Occasional Paper Series and Monographs. In addition to the above mentioned publications the Institute also brings out books, seminar proceedings etc. IDSA also manages an active website which encourages comments and brief articles from the IDSA scholars as well as from invited contributors. The comments are of strategic importance and are frequently referred to by the policy makers and strategic thinkers.
Apart from the being the platform for providing information on various strategic issues the institute also believes in encouraging dialogue. There has been a history of bilateral talks that the institute has participated in with various Think Tanks and Research Organizations from the SAARC Countries, Europe, Central Asian Countries, West Asian Countries, East Asian and Asia-Pacific Countries and African Countries. It also has regular talks with the leading research institutes within the country as well.
One of the most important yearly conferences held by the Institute is the Asian Security Conference. This is an annual event organized by the Institute every February and hosts participants from many countries around the world. Proceedings of this conference are published in book form subsequently.
Apart from these endeavors the institute also conducts regular seminars and paper presentation by the in-house scholars and also invites prominent speakers to talk on areas of interest to the scholars.
The Institute in its long history of four decades has worked towards the dissemination of knowledge and has also been an active participant in the policy making bodies.
