Institute for National Defense and Security Research

Institute for National Defense and Security Research
Name	Institute for National Defense and Security Research
Formation	2018
Type	Think tank
Headquarters	Taipei
Leader title	President
Leader name	Lee Hsi-ming

Institute for National Defense and Security Research is a Taipei-based policy research institute focusing on Cross-Strait relations, regional security, and defense policy relevant to the Republic of China (Taiwan). Established with ties to the Ministry of National Defense (Taiwan), the institute produces strategic analysis, wargaming, and open-source intelligence aimed at informing policymakers, military leaders, and international scholars. Its outputs engage with issues spanning People's Republic of China, United States, Japan, Australia, and other Indo-Pacific actors.

History

The institute was founded amid heightened tensions following events such as the 2016 Taiwanese presidential election, the 2016–2017 Taiwan Strait incidents, and the evolving U.S.–China trade war. Early leadership included retired flag officers from the Republic of China Armed Forces and academics associated with National Chengchi University, National Taiwan University, and Academia Sinica. Its creation mirrored global trends exemplified by institutions like International Institute for Strategic Studies, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and RAND Corporation. The institute has since hosted conferences addressing episodes such as 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, 2020 Taiwan presidential election, and military activities like People's Liberation Army Air Force sorties near the Taiwan Strait. Leadership transitions have included figures with prior roles in the Ministry of National Defense (Taiwan), the National Security Council (Taiwan), and the Republic of China Navy.

Organization and Governance

Governance is structured with a board including former senior officers from the Republic of China Army, Republic of China Navy, and Republic of China Air Force, alongside scholars from Oxford University, Harvard University, and George Washington University-affiliated programs. The institute maintains research divisions comparable to those at Center for a New American Security and European Council on Foreign Relations, with directors overseeing programs on deterrence theory, asymmetric warfare, and intelligence analysis. Advisory panels have featured retired officials from the U.S. Department of Defense, diplomats with postings to Tokyo and Washington, D.C., and analysts formerly attached to National Security Agency-adjacent centers and think tanks like Brookings Institution. Internal operations follow non-profit corporate norms used by entities such as Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Chatham House.

Research Areas and Programs

Major research programs examine cross-Strait stability, maritime security, cybersecurity, electronic warfare, arms procurement, and civil defense. Projects have modeled scenarios drawn from historical cases such as the First Taiwan Strait Crisis and the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, as well as contemporary analogues like Crimea annexation by the Russian Federation and South China Sea arbitration. The institute conducts wargames informed by methodologies from RAND Corporation wargaming and Naval War College exercises, and produces policy options referencing doctrines such as AirSea Battle and Third Offset Strategy. Specialized teams analyze technology diffusion from firms in Shenzhen and policy implications tied to Belt and Road Initiative projects.

Publications and Analysis

The institute issues reports, policy briefs, and monographs; outputs are analogous to publications from International Crisis Group and Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Regular series include strategic assessments, threat snapshots, and white papers addressing procurement debates involving platforms like F-16 Fighting Falcon, Cheng Kung-class frigate, and Tuo Chiang-class corvette. Commentaries draw on case studies from the Gulf War, Falklands War, and Yom Kippur War to illuminate force employment. The institute maintains an online portal with translated materials for audiences in English and Mandarin Chinese, and has produced timeline analyses of incidents such as 2016 Taiwan defense reform milestones and 2015 Ma-Xi Meeting repercussions.

Collaborations and Partnerships

The institute has partnered with academic centers at National Chengchi University, National Defense University (Taiwan), and international counterparts including Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, and Japan Institute of International Affairs. It has convened trilateral dialogues involving representatives from United States Department of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan), and counterparts from ASEAN member states. Joint programs include workshops on maritime domain awareness with organizations like International Maritime Organization-linked research groups and cybersecurity exchanges with centers associated with Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University.

Funding and Accountability

Funding sources include grants from ministries and private foundations patterned after funding models used by Rockefeller Foundation and Ford Foundation-supported initiatives, as well as contracts for wargaming and consultancy with defense establishments. Financial oversight includes board review and annual reports, with transparency practices benchmarked against standards from Open Society Foundations-funded transparency projects and NGO accountability frameworks endorsed by Transparency International. Debates over independence reference controversies similar to those involving think tank funding in other democracies, and the institute publishes summaries of major funding streams while redacting classified tasking tied to defense procurement.

Impact and Reception

Scholarly and policy communities cite the institute in analyses published by Foreign Affairs, The Diplomat, and academic journals such as International Security and Journal of Strategic Studies. Media outlets including BBC, The New York Times, and Reuters have referenced its briefings during heightened Taiwan Strait incidents. Critics allege institutional closeness to the Ministry of National Defense (Taiwan) may affect perceived neutrality, mirroring critiques leveled at state-linked research centers globally. Supporters argue its wargames and contingency planning have improved interagency coordination among institutions like the National Security Council (Taiwan) and enhanced understanding in partner capitals such as Washington, D.C. and Tokyo.

Category:Think tanks in Taiwan