North America & Strategic Technologies

About Centre

The Centre tracks relations between India and the countries of North America. US and Canadian internal developments are also monitored to have a better understanding of their role as drivers of foreign and domestic policies. The large Indian diaspora in these two countries also serves as a bridge for strengthening bilateral relations.

The Centre also actively tracks and analyses trends in strategic technologies, with principal focus on critical technologies and their implications for national security. It addresses evolving threats in space security and cyber security, ensuring comprehensive research into these critical domains. The other mandate of the Centre is to undertake research on Biological and Chemical Weapons with a focus on studying the dangers of proliferation and terrorism.

Cyber Security Dilemma

Any cyber architecture can be viewed as a doubled edged sword – either ignore it and be exposed or use it to one’s advantage. Cyber espionage is here to stay.

Ajey Lele
June 18, 2013
IDSA Comments

Syria and WMD: Deepening Uncertainty

Even as the uncertainty over the alleged use of chemical weapons use in Syria deepens, the cautious US response to the situation has been conditioned by the lack of viable military options as well as its Iraq war experience.

Outer space comes closer to a regime

The Group of Government Experts need to take into consideration complex and inter-related concerns of space activities before formulating the Transparency and Confidence Building Measures. The need is to have an effective mechanism and not an accommodative one.

Ajey Lele
May 20, 2013
IDSA Comments

China’s ‘String of pearls’ in Space

A ‘pearl’ could be viewed as a sphere of influence seeded, secured and maintained through the use of economic, geopolitical, diplomatic or military means. The ‘string of pearls’ is about China’s unambiguous maritime strategy that investments in increasing its sea power. This is essentially a multi-pronged strategy that challenges dominant US interests in the Indian Ocean and sends a clear message to India that the Indian Ocean is not India’s ocean by increasing the dependence of the littoral states in the region on China.

Ajey Lele
March 21, 2013
IDSA Comments

Successful PSLV-C20/SARAL Mission: India’s French “Space” Connect

For almost the last 50 years, space collaboration has significantly remained intact between France and India. They have worked together on a range of issues from satellite applications, developing small satellites to earth system science and weather satellites.

Ajey Lele
March 07, 2013
IDSA Comments

A Missile in the Monkey’s Shadow?

Iran’s investments in space should not be viewed only through the narrow prism of a nuclear threat but as a nascent attempt to challenge the West’s technological domination.

Ajey Lele
January 31, 2013
IDSA Comments

India’s New Science Policy is about Innovation

STI 2013 envisages the creation of a word-class infrastructure for R&D and skill development as well as encouraging the scientific community by providing adequate opportunities and better career options.

Ajey Lele
January 09, 2013
IDSA Comments

The Indian Space Programme in 2012: A Review

While 2012 saw ISRO’s 100th space mission, its continued dependence on a single operational launch vehicle in the form of the PSLV has meant dependence on foreign launch services for heavier class satellites.

Radhakrishna Rao
January 02, 2013
IDSA Comments

China to Launch Satellite for Sri Lanka: India’s Missed Opportunity?

India has much to learn from China with regard to using space as an ‘instrument of influence’ and also needs to expand the global footprint of its expertise.

Ajey Lele
November 16, 2012
IDSA Comments

Some takeaways from the Budapest Conference on Cyberspace

Even as imagined and real cyber security threats scale new heights, the story coming out of the recently concluded Second International Conference on Cyberspace in Budapest was one of a widening gulf between countries, notwithstanding the stated intent of bridging differences through dialogue.