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Pankaj Kumar Jha Centre for Security Studies (PKJCSS)

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Pankaj Kumar Jha Centre for Security Studies (PKJCSS)

Introduction

Dr. Pankaj Kumar Jha, our Founder was not only a brilliant scholar but also a visionary leader who dedicated his life to the advancement of knowledge and the nurturing of young minds. His contributions to the Centre for Security Studies (CSS) at Jindal School of International Affairs (JSIA) were immeasurable, and his legacy of excellence will continue to inspire us for years to come.  In recognition of Dr. Jha’s outstanding service and commitment to the field of security studies, we have decided to rename the Centre for Security Studies as the Pankaj Kumar Jha Centre for Security Studies (PKJCSS) {erstwhile Centre for Security Studies (CSS)}. The sudden and untimely demise of our beloved Founder, Dr. Pankaj Kumar Jha, on 20th May 2024, has left an irreplaceable void in our hearts. This renaming is a fitting tribute to Dr. Jha’s memory and his tireless efforts in building and shaping the Centre into what it is today. Dr. Jha’s passion for research, mentorship, and institution-building was unparalleled. He touched the lives of countless students and colleagues, leaving behind a legacy of scholarship and mentorship that will endure for generations. His vision, wisdom, and dedication will continue to guide us as we carry forward his work at PKJCSS.

The role of security is paramount to all levels of the global environment, from international organisations and states to societies and individuals. Therefore, while the Pankaj Kumar Jha Centre for Security Studies (PKJCSS) {erstwhile Centre for Security Studies (CSS)} shall concentrate more specifically on topics of security, it shall situate itself in the larger domain of international relations studies. International security is in the end not merely defined by the concept of war or the effects to mitigate it, but rather goes far beyond it to encompass a plethora of issues. Every action of every actor in the international system defines the concept of security both for itself and for others in the system. In this, the concept of international security has been expanded to reflect, not merely the study of state security but also include topics like ethnic, sectarian and religious conflict; civil wars and state failure; cyber and space warfare; resource related security issues; the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; defence economics and the role of ethics or morality in security policies.

The evolution of the field of international security studies is an impressive topic. It has changed and diversified from an initial concern with superpower rivalry and nuclear weapons to focus upon sectors of political, economic, military, environmental, and social life. PKJCSS believes that these sectors must be better understood to gauge and examine their influence on important current trends defining international politics and dynamics as well. In this regard, the Coronavirus pandemic, a surge of populism in Europe, the threat of terrorism in Southeast Asia and increasing resource scarcity in many regions of the world must all be understood as key security issues to gain a deeper understanding of international security. The Pankaj Kumar Jha Centre for Security Studies shall therefore, through in-depth analysis, reports and policy briefs explore both regional and thematic topics in the broader field of International Security Studies.

There is also another aspect in which PKJCSS shall attempt to introduce a unique approach. Much like the study of International Relations, the study of security is also a western dominated discipline and has in the past failed to understand aspects of security as viewed through other perspectives. The Centre thus also hopes to introduce newer, non-western perspectives to problems of security, to formulate more comprehensive policies and opinions in understanding global dynamics.

Founder

Dr. Pankaj Kumar Jha (07.07.1973-20.05.2024) was a Professor & Associate Dean (Research) and Founding Director, Centre for Security Studies (CSS), at the Jindal School of International Affairs (JSIA). Prior to joining JGU, he made a distinct name for himself in think-tanks and government. From 2005 to 2011, he was Associate Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA). From 2012 to 2013, he worked as Deputy Director in the National Security Council Secretariat (2012-2013) of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and helped formulate and implement key ideas to strengthen India’s defensive and offensive capabilities. From 2013 to 2016, Dr. Jha worked at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and served as Director of Research there, spearheading important publications and spurring high quality output from a large team of scholars on foreign policy themes.

Professor Jha conceived and developed the Centre for Security Studies (CSS) at JSIA, which produced numerous monographs and briefs. His speciality was to co-author books and shorter works with students of JSIA. The experience of joint research with a senior professor helped make careers for many JSIA students. His Letters of Recommendation and personal networks in think-tanks and research organisations landed so many internships and full-time positions for students. He saw the strategic potential for closer partnership between India and Vietnam a lot sooner than most Indian analysts and thinkers. He had close connections with the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, the military and Communist Party leadership in Vietnam and was engaged in intense dialogue and policy coordination missions with them to enhance India’s position and influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Dr. Jha was one of India’s finest brains in the field of national security. He was one of the handful of people in our country with extensive knowledge and practical experience in the domains of military, intelligence, warfare, insurgency, terrorism and counter-terrorism, and Asian geopolitics. He authored several books, journal articles, briefs and memos that influenced policymakers, thinkers and students across the world.

Dr. Jha was in Danang, Vietnam, and suffered an unexpected cardiac arrest that caused his sad demise. He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of scholarship, mentorship, teaching and institution building.

Objectives
  • Provide research opportunities for students interested in understanding the increasingly dynamic 21st Century international security environment
  • Publish articles, policy briefs and reports on topics which are not extensively discussed by most available sources
  • Analyse and investigate actions of states and non- state actors that are critical to contemporary international security issues
  • Comprehensively identify, define and examine the political, social, economic and human costs of security
  • Provide fresh, new perspectives to the subject with the aid of our student led research initiatives
CSS Publications

Special briefs

Issue Briefs

May 2021


March 2021

 

January 2021

November 2020

October 2020

August 2020

July 2020

Issue Briefs

November 2020

 
Policy Briefs

Book Reviews

Project Publications

Executive Summaries 

Project Publications

Research Initiatives

The Centre for Security Studies undertakes the following initiatives of article publication, policy briefs, book reviews and research papers. In this it publishes the articles of its research interns and associates on internationally recognized platforms.

Article Publications

Book Reviews

Policy Briefs

Dialogues

Mapping China’s Strategic Actions (26th September 2020)

Over the last two decades, China has emerged as a power with global aspirations. Some would argue that it has in fact attempted to remake the landscape of global politics; perhaps rightly so. Firstly, with its entrance into the World Trade Organization in 2001, China rapidly transformed its economy into the global leader in advanced technologies and trade that it is today. And this has in fact helped and propelled it towards advancing across the board; in technology, trade, production capabilities, military capabilities, space and cyber warfare; all of which will be highlighted in this report. Nonetheless, China’s rapid advancement today is a threat both regionally and internationally; especially since it has seemingly discarded and abandoned its policy of “hiding its strength and biding its time.” Its emergence today has created tensions across regions because as it has grown and advanced internally, it has also exerted its influence externally. China’s one belt one road initiative, its debt trap diplomacy, its militarization of the South China Sea, its string pearls strategy and its subtle takeover of international organizations is well known. Early expectations of its global economic integration being a booster for liberalization and even possible democratization have been proved wrong and this is even more threatening to China’s neighbourhood. For as China rises or discards its “peaceful rise”, it has not only become more assertive but also aggressive and therefore it is essential that we analyse, understand and Map China’s Strategic Actions

Contextualizing Radicalization Around the World (28th August 2020)

This Report is a Product of the Centre for Security Studies, Jindal School of International Affairs and was formulated after a discussion held on the 28th of August 2020.

The Struggle for the Arctic: A race for power, resources, and influence (22nd November 2020)

The Arctic circle today is being transformed by a number of factors; not all limited to climate change and the environment. While the environment is undoubtedly a key agenda of many stakeholders, today the arctic is being characterized by issues of defense, security, law, governance, resource management, shipping, trade, politics, and strategy. In this regard, arctic security in the 21st century is defined by both arctic and non-arctic states; a fact that must be acknowledged and analyzed. The eight Arctic nations of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, and the United States are joined by others who have established or are seeking to establish a foothold in the region, through either defense, science, or trade. These include countries like China, India, the United Kingdom, and France; each of whom has a different agenda and policy towards the arctic. In this, with both arctic and non-arctic states seeking to exert their influence or maintain a presence in the region, it has become essential that these realities are mapped and analyzed, so as to understand the dynamics of a region, which is set to become another region characterized by competition and possibly conflict.

Drug Trafficking in the Golden Crescent and the Golden Triangle (18th June 2021)

The Golden Crescent and the Golden Triangle are distinct geographical confluences in Asia that allow drug cartels to smuggle their merchandise across borders due to the favourable geography. The routes by which illicit substances are transported are often heavily armed by national guards, but the elusive trafficking cartels evade their grasp. This report explains the geographical landscapes of these regions and how they are optimal for transnational smuggling. Additionally, drug trafficking has been widely portrayed in popular media as an endeavour taken up by morally grey characters or exaggerated mafias, but the reality of the process involves hundreds of unassuming men, women, and children who often engage in drug production and consumption as a means of sustenance. This report discusses and analyses the international efforts to curb drug production and consumption by economic, social, and psychological means.

Geopolitical influences on the Afghanistan conflict (19th June 2021)

The conflict in Afghanistan has transcended its national borders with the involvement of major international players such as the USA and China in both discreet and overt manners. The Taliban and the central government in Kabul have struggled to retain power for decades through complex webs of intergroup relationships that have been woven with the delicate strands of history. However, this nuanced relationship has been dissected and leveraged for self-interest by the international community. Their objectives of waging a War on Terror, extracting Afghanistan’s plentiful natural resources, and building a commercial network through the Heartland have superseded the needs of the peace process in Afghanistan. Thousands of lives have been treated as collateral damage, and an even greater number have been left to their own devices by power-hungry governments and militia. This report aims to analyse the intricate roots of the Afghanistan conflict through the lenses of significant international stakeholders, aiming to uncover the methods by which a successful peace process may be possible.

Indo-Pacific: Construct and Subscription.

As a geographical concept, the Indo-Pacific has existed for a long time, however, it has over the years, been redefined along both political and strategic lines. Across the globe, powers have sought to increase their own influence in the region, either overtly or covertly. As great and rising powers alike seek to build on objectives of control and strategic influence, the Indo-Pacific is slowly being transformed into a region that could be the seat of greater competition and even conflict. In this regard, a race for strategic influence has spanned all sectors of state power: hard, sharp and soft; diplomatic, information, military and economic; seeking to exert and maintain influence over air, sea, land, space, cyber, technology and innovation. Nonetheless, the space itself has been defined in complex and distinct ways by each stakeholder involved. While some states see it merely as a geographical condition, others see it as a strategic reality and even others see it is as a construct that will evolve and soon disappear. However, it must be acknowledged that through whatever lens it may be perceived, the region itself is one that is defining strategic competition, and thus also a geopolitical reality of critical importance. It is therefore important, that both constructions and subscriptions of the Indo-Pacific are assessed so as to understand the perceptions and possible actions of old and new stakeholders alike.

Events

The Pankaj Kumar Jha Centre for Security Studies shall also hold public lectures and seminars by experts in the field.

  • Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies: Maritime and Naval by Dr Vijay Sakhuja
  • Indian’s Military Modernisation: The Issues in Planning, Budgeting, Industry and Procurement by Dr Laxman Kumar Behera
  • CSS Online Lecture Series on “Indian’s Military Modernsation” By Dr. Laxman Kumar Behera
  • Understanding the Geographic and Strategic Aspects of India-China Tensions- A Lecture by Mr. Mayank Singh
  • Japan’s Indo-Pacific Perspective on India-Japan Relations- Mr. Rikuto Ito, Administrative Attache, Embassy of Japan, New Delhi
  • Vietnamese Delegation, led by Dr. Nguyen Thanh Ha, at O.P Jindal Global University. The event was organized to foster international relations and promote cultural understanding between India and Vietnam.
  • European Terrorism and Counter Terrorism – Prof. (Dr.) Christian Kaunert
  • Book Talk on “India’s Nuclear Titans: A Biographical Framework” by Dr. Soumya Awasthi and Dr. Shrabana Barua
Internships

The Centre for security studies (CSS) provides internship opportunities for all students of JSIA who are interested in critically analysing and studying the various contemporary events in the field of security studies. This is a voluntary internship that enables students to publish their research as part of joint projects or individual papers and articles. The intern will work closely with the Director and Research Associates over a period of 4-6 months.

Responsibilities

  • Contribute in research and writing towards ongoing research projects and/or contribute a minimum of 2 articles to the centre
  • Partake in weekly dialogues pertaining to ongoing research projects or policy briefs

Criteria

  • Full time student enrolled in the Undergraduate or Post­graduate program at the Jindal School of International Affairs
  • Excellent command of the English language
  • Strong analytical and reasoning skills
  • Capacity to work individually and in team settings
  • Should be committed to contributing and participating in weekly dialogues

Application

  • One detailed CV
  • One-page cover letter expressing one’s reasons in wanting to join the centre along with the research project he/she would like to work on
  • A short writing sample of no more than 1000 words on a topic of contemporary importance to international security

All applications must be submitted to pjha@jgu.edu.in.

Team
Prof. Gitanjali Sinha Roy

Assistant Professor

Email: gitanjalis.roy@jgu.edu.in

Contact us

Please contact us at css@jgu.edu.in and gitanjalis.roy@jgu.edu.in.

Campus Location

Sonipat Narela Road, Near Jagdishpur Village, Sonipat, Haryana 131001
For Admission related queries, write to: admissions@jgu.edu.in
For other general inquiries, write to: info@jgu.edu.in
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