Ajay Darshan Behera is a Reader at the Academy of Third World Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He is also the Coordinator for the Pakistan Studies Programme at the Academy. His main areas of research interest are foreign policy and security issues in South Asia, political violence, insurgency and terrorism, conflicts and conflict management, India’s foreign policy, political development and foreign policy of Pakistan and Sri Lanka. He has contributed several research articles to edited volumes and journals in India and abroad on non-military dimensions of security, transnational security threats, confidence-building and conflict resolution, ethnic conflict, insurgencies and terrorism, and light weapons. Amongst his important publications in this area is a monograph titled The Politics of Violence and Development in South Asia. His co-edited book on Pakistan in a Changing Strategic Context was published in 2004. His book Violence, Terrorism and Human Security in South Asia is scheduled to be published in 2006.

Shalini Chawla is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS), New Delhi. She joined CAPS in 2006 and specialises in Pakistan studies.  She is a frequent contributor to various journals and magazines on defence and security issues. She has authored a book titled Pakistan’s Military and Its Strategy (2009). Her forthcoming book is titled Pakistan’s Nuclear Arsenal and Strategy (2011).  

Brahma Chellaney is Professor of Strategic Studies at the Centre for Policy Research. He has served as a member of the Policy Advisory Group headed by the Foreign Minister of India. Prior to that, Prof. Chellaney was an adviser to India’s National Security Council until January 2000, serving as convenor of the External Security Group of the National Security Advisory Board. A specialist on international security and arms control issues, Prof. Chellaney has held appointments at the Harvard University, the Brookings Institution, the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies and the Australian National University. He is the author of six books, including Asian Juggernaut: The Rise of China, India and Japan. His latest book is Water: Asia’s New Battleground. He has published research papers, among others, in International Security, Orbis, Survival, Washington Quarterly, Security Studies and Terrorism. Chellaney is also a newspaper columnist and television commentator. He regularly contributes opinion articles to the International Herald Tribune, the Wall Street Journal, the Japan Times, the Asian Age, the Hindustan Times and the Times of India. 

Sreeradha Datta is Director, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS), Kolkata. Her areas of expertise are India’s neighbourhood policy; Bangladesh: Domestic and foreign policy; India’s northeast complexities; India and Myanmar’s bilateral relations. Ms. Datta completed PhD from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. She was Coordinator (Research) with South Asian Centre for Strategic Studies, New Delhi (1996-1999) and Editor, South Asia Watch (1997-1999). She has been a recipient of the Kodikara Fellowship (1997). She was selected for International Visitors Leadership Programme, USA (2006). She is a regular participant in Indo-Bangladesh track II dialogues and also has been working on climate change and water security issues in South Asia

Leela Ponappa is a former Deputy National Security Adviser, Government of India and has been Ambassador to The Netherlands, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Thailand and UNESCAP. She has worked as Joint Secretary/Additional Secretary handling Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar in the External Affairs Ministry and has had extensive experience in handling India’s relations with its neighbours including Pakistan and SAARC. She has been Senior Directing Staff at the National Defence College, New Delhi and Research Associate at the Centre for South and Southeast Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. 

T.C.A. Rangachari is one of the most notable experts on China in India. He was India’s Ambassador to Algeria, France and Germany before resigning from the Indian Foreign Service in 2006. Since then, he has been extensively writing and lecturing on many topical issues relating to India’s foreign policy, strategic and security matters.

C.V. Ranganathan has been Ambassador of India to various countries including China and France. After his retirement from Indian Foreign Service in 1993, he continues to be active, holding advisory and research positions. He also served as convener of the National Security Advisory Group. He has published many articles and contributions to books, newspapers, journals and magazines in India and abroad on international affairs. He has co-authored a book entitled India and China: The Way Ahead.  

Bhaskar Roy has a physics background. His attention shifted to journalistic and strategic studies, after a brief stint in the advertising industry. He was Chief Editor with Macmillan publishers, when he shifted to the Cabinet Secretariat where he spent the better part of his career. He did stints abroad including as Minister in the Indian Embassy, Washington DC. He is currently a Consultant with the South Asia Analysis Group (SAAG). He writes extensively on China and on strategic issues related to India.

V. Suryanarayan is Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Asian Studies, Chennai. He is one of India’s leading specialists in South and Southeast Asian Studies and combines in his teaching and research specialisation in History, Political Science and International Relations. Educated in Ernakulam, Bombay and New Delhi, he has taught in the affiliated colleges of Bombay University; Indian School of International Studies, New Delhi; Marathwada University, Aurangabad and North Eastern Hill University, Shillong. For more than two decades, he was associated with the Centre for South and Southeast Asian Studies, University of Madras first as the founding Director and later as Senior Professor. He was associated with the University Grants Commission (UGC) for several years. He was a member of the UGC Advisory Committee on Area Studies and was a member of UGC evaluation teams to several universities. Prof. Suryanarayan was Visiting Professor in the University of California, Los Angeles; Columbus College, University System of Georgia; Peradeniya University, Sri Lanka; Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati and School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He was the first Professor for Maritime Studies and Research, Calicut University during 2004-05. The Chair for Maritime Studies was instituted by the Naval Head Quarters, New Delhi, the only one of its kind in the Indian University system. He is currently associated with the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai in its guest faculty. A much sought after speaker, Prof. Suryanarayan is a regular speaker in the National Defence College, New Delhi. He has also spoken in the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and Army War College. Prof. Suryanarayan was a member of the International Observer Team that monitored the Presidential Election in Sri Lanka in December 1999.  He is presently a member of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB). 

Sangeeta Thapliyal is a Professor at the South Asian Studies Division, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She works on strategic issues concerning South Asia with a special reference to Nepal. Her areas of research include water security in South Asia and regional cooperation. Her previous work experience includes Director, Department of Strategic and Regional Studies, University of Jammu, Observer Research Foundation, Delhi Policy Group and the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS). 

K. Yhome is a Research Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi. He completed his PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. His research interests include India’s neighbourhood, Southeast Asia and China’s Southwest Provinces. He has published a book on Myanmar and contributed chapters and articles in edited books and journals.