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Shruti Pandalai is an Associate Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, primarily working on issues closely related to India’s national security and foreign policy. Attached with the Centre for Military Affairs, she has worked on projects requiring research and recommendations for the National Security Council Secretariat, Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs. India’s strategic thought and practice, its military history - the wars of 1962 and 1965 and their impact on contemporary foreign policy, emerging challenges to national security and forecasting and scenario projection are some of the themes she has worked on at MP-IDSA. She has also published widely on the subject of Media and National Security, looking at the larger issues of strategic communication in diplomacy and conflict resolution in India.
Previously, Shruti was a broadcast journalist, a News Anchor and Senior Correspondent with a leading national English news network specialising in international affairs. She contributes columns/op-eds/blogs to leading national and international publications on matters of national security, foreign policy and on the media.She has most recently been honoured with the MP-IDSA President's Award 2015 for her research paper on India's 1965 War with Pakistan and how it shaped the geopolitics of South Asia.She is part of many emerging leaders fora including the New America Foundation's South Asia 2020 initiative, the Global Young Leaders Programme "The Asian Forum of Global Governance 2017” organised jointly by the ZEIT-StiftungEbelin und GerdBucerius, Germany and the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi, and was also among the first batch of Raisina Young Fellows participating in the MEA-ORF annual Raisina Dialogue 2017. She is an alumna of St Xavier's College Calcutta, The Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, and The Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy, SOAS, University of London.
The Pacific Islands and Geopolitical Jostling: Can India Play a Stabilising Role?
India can carve a niche as a capacity-builder in helping the southern Pacific countries meet developmental goals and tackle climate change.
Can India and ASEAN Lean on Each Other Amid ‘Systemic’ China-US Competition?
Associate Fellow Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms. Shruti Pandalai’s article “Can India and ASEAN Lean on Each Other Amid ‘Systemic’ China-US Competition?” has been published in ‘The Diplomat’ on 02 July 2022.
New Delhi, viewed by ASEAN as independent from both the US and China, could help build this strategic trust, says Ms Pandalai.
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Quad’s Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative Needs Time to Deliver
The Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) Initiative aims to enhance regional maritime security via technology and training support.
The Indo-Pacific Consensus: The Past, Present and Future of India’s Vision for the Region
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms Shruti Pandalai's article ‘The Indo-Pacific Consensus: The Past, Present and Future of India’s Vision for the Region’ was published in the special issue of 'India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs', Volume 78 Issue 2, June 2022, on the theme of ‘India@75’. The article traces the evolution of the concept of the Indo Pacific in New Delhi's strategic calculus and its pre-eminence as a theatre of geo-strategic and ge-economic opportunity.
Staying the Course on the China Consensus Requires Reassurances in Post-Ukraine Global Order
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms Shruti Pandalai was invited to contribute to an anthology of commentaries, published as part of the publications released as part of Raisina 2022 on 26 April 2022. Her commentary ‘Staying the Course on the China Consensus Requires Reassurances in Post-Ukraine Global Order’ argues ‘that after Ukraine, the fragility of geopolitical perceptions stand exposed. The ability of the coalition of the willing to manage the China challenge and stay focused on the Indo-Pacific theatre has been called into question.
Shoring up the Northeast frontier: How rebranding the discourse on connectivity is imperative to meet the China challenge
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms. Shruti Pandalai’s Oped 'Shoring up the Northeast frontier: How rebranding the discourse on connectivity is imperative to meet the China challenge' has been published in ‘The Times of India’ on 21 March 2021.
Emerging Trends in Indo-Pacific Geopolitics: Navigating the ‘India Way’
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms Shruti Pandalai’s essay “Emerging Trends in Indo-Pacific Geopolitics: Navigating the ‘India Way’’ was published by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) on 14 December 2021.
The growing strategic relevance of the Indo-Pacific has made India focus its efforts to align with countries on the basis of consensus and cooperation emerging out of common concerns, says Ms Pandalai.
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Blame Games Amidst A Protracted Deadlock—No Thaw In India, China Ties
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms. Shruti Pandalai contributed a guest column on ‘Blame games amidst a protracted deadlock-No thaw in India China ties’ for the China-India Brief, published by the Centre on Asia and Globalisation, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, on October 26, 2021.
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Why AUKUS is Gaining Acceptance in the Indo Pacific
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms. Shruti Pandalai’s Commentary ‘Why AUKUS is gaining acceptance in the Indo-Pacific’ has been published in CNA on September 29, 2021.
The Australia-US-UK pact facilitates Asian countries' pursuit of cooperation in other areas without worrying about the larger looming regional security challenge, says Ms. Pandalai.
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A Year after Deadly Galwan Valley Clashes, India and China Are Struggling To Rebuild Mutual Trust
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms. Shruti Pandalai's Oped, ‘A year after deadly Galwan Valley clashes, India and China are struggling to rebuild mutual trust’, featured in the South China Morning Post on August 25, 2021.
The piece argues that enduring perceptions of rivalry have taken root in India China relations a year after Galwan. Competing strategic narratives and lack of real dialogue do little to improve mutual trust.