East Asia

About Centre

The East Asia Centre is dedicated to study and research the domestic and foreign policies of individual countries of the region as well as India’s multifaceted relationships with these countries. With respect to China, the Centre’s research foci are its foreign policy (particularly towards the US, Russia, Central Asia and Asia Pacific), domestic politics, economy, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and India’s relationship with China in all its dimensions. The Centre’s research also focuses on Taiwan, its domestic politics, Sino-Taiwanese relationship and Indo-Taiwanese relationship, Hong Kong and India-Hong Kong relations. Japan and Korea are the other major focus of the Centre, with its research focused on their domestic politics, foreign policy and comprehensive bilateral relationships with India. The geopolitics of the Asia Pacific and the Korean peninsula are also studied in the Centre.

The centre brings out five monthly newsletters: East Asia Military Monitor, Japan Digest, China Science and Technology, Korea Newsletter, and China Military Digest.

The Strategic Relevance of Okinawa

Notwithstanding popular criticism and opposition, the US-Japan security alliance and the presence of USFJ remain vital to Japanese foreign and security policies.

Foreign Policy and Domestic Challenges before Kan Naoto

Getting the economy back on track would be Kan’s top most priority. Kan views ties with the US as the core of Japan’s foreign policy, though he also greatly values the relationship with China.

Fluidity in Japanese Politics

Hatoyama’s downfall was primarily brought about by his failure to fulfil the pre-election promise to relocate the US Marine Corps Air Station in Futenma outside of Okinawa prefecture.

The “Cheonan” Fallout: Erosion of Confidence

The Cheonan assault has revealed to South Korea that the threat from North Korea is still ominous and capable of delivering unexpected damage.

Preeti Nalwa
June 07, 2010
IDSA Comments

Escalation of Tensions in the Korean Peninsula and China’s Role

The one country that has not condemned North Korea’s role in the sinking of the Cheonan is China, which has its own strategic and economic compulsions to back North Korea.

Taiwan’s Unending Dialogue over ECFA

The fundamental ideological difference between the KMT and DPP supporters makes the debate on ECFA more complicated than it needs to be actually, with a peculiar intermix of politics and economics.

The ascendancy of Political Islam in Malaysia

While the notion of Malaysia as an Islamic state appears almost unthinkable, this is exactly what has transpired since the early 1980s, posing serious challenges for the country’s internal and external politics.

Ideology sans Jargon? Contextualising Xi Jinping’s Politics of Simplification

Xi Jinping's attempt to dejargonise political language is timely. however, how it impacts the ideology is going to be important.

Is Japan ready to shun the Peace Constitution?

While the DPJ is not averse to the idea of revising the constitution, an unfavourable domestic situation and adverse reactions from neighbours are likely to force the Hatoyama government to limit the exercise to a debate.