The Centre aims to conduct research on issues of internal security with special emphasis on Naxal issues and regional security with the focus countries of 2012 being Iran, Afghanistan and Myanmar. 

Left Wing Extremism has challenged the policy-makers in the government of India for almost 50 years now. Terming it as the biggest internal security threat on numerous occasions, the Indian Prime Minister and his government have tried many permutations and combinations to counter this security threat unsuccessfully.

The programme on Internal Security aims at mapping the conflict and its future course and finding the fault lines in India’s anti-LWE policies in order to provide for alternate solutions and strategies by means of dialogues, conferences and research commentaries and reports.

Regional Security

Iran

In the context of Iran being a key player in the times to come, the Centre for Internal and Regional Security (IReS), at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS) decided to expand its research focus to Iran and to study the contemporary security dynamics in the region and its future dimension. The focus is constantly growing and is not confined to Iran-India relations, Iran’s nuclear programme and its extra-regional implications, and Iran-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India quadrilateral relationship.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan is in a state of flux as the 2014 deadline for the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country approaches. The research conducted on the country at the Centre aims at identifying, analyzing and understanding the main issues underlying the US-Afghan relations, the prospects for a political settlement with the Taliban, the capacity of the Afghan state and security sector, the militant nexus in the ‘Af-Pak’ region and the role of the neighbouring countries in shaping the future of Afghanistan.

Myanmar

With the civilian government in place, the country is undergoing a period of transition which will be critical in deciding the future course of the Indochina region. As a neighbour to four north-eastern states, research on the country aims at identifying India’s core interests, China’s role in the developing situation, the internal conflict facing the country and Myanmar’s importance in the region as the ever-dynamic internal scenario in Myanmar is unfolding.  

The centre also has one successful programme - the Armed Conflicts in South Asia (ACSA), and two successful dialogues, namely the Consortium of South Asian Think-Tanks (COSATT) and Building Global Security to its credit. 

Armed Conflicts in South Asia (ACSA)

The Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies has been extensively and consistently monitoring South Asian conflicts since 2006. In this regard, the institute has been publishing an Annual since 2007.

The Sixth Annual Conference on Armed Conflicts in South Asia was held on 1 and 2 March 2012. Mr. Shiv Shankar Menon, the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of India delivered the keynote address. He released the ACSA and Dr. Meenakshi Gopinath, Principal, Lady Shri Ram College and Honorary Director, WISCOMP released the 2011 edition of ACSA. More.

Consortium of South Asian Think-Tanks (COSATT)

The Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS) in collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), has set up an informal regional organization - COSATT (Consortium of South Asian Think-Tanks), comprising of leading think tanks of South Asia. Since 2008, the COSATT has held three regional dialogues on connectivity, countering terrorism and energy and environmental security.

For 2012, we are planning to work on “Building Bridges: Strengthening Physical, Emotional and Economic Linkages in South Asia” as the next COSATT project. The planning conference of 2012 took place in Kathmandu, Nepal between 6 and 7 April 2012. More

Building Global Security

The Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS) and the Konrad Adenauer Sifting (KAS), as leading organizations and think tanks in India and Germany respectively with an objective to enhance Asian and global security laid the foundation for an Indo-German Strategic Dialogue called “Building Global Security.”

The primary objective of this dialogue is to take stock of the situation, prepare for the future and contribute to building global security. In 2012, as a part of Indo-German dialogue on “Building Global Security”, both organizations propose to discuss on how to stabilize and secure the Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran triangle. The first set of discussions under the theme culminated on 16 April 2011 with a key note address by H.E. Ranjan Mathai, Foreign Secretary of India. The discussions were then followed by insights from both the Indian and the German strategic and academic community.

Building Global Security

COSATT 2012

Mapping the Naxal Conflict: Second National Dialogue

Armed Conflicts in South Asia: Sixth Annual Conference

IPCS Peer Review

IPCS Colloquy: 47
India and the Neighbourhood

The Naxal Problem: First National Dialogue

Panel Discussion on Iran and Regional Security