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| Institute of South Asian Studies | |
|---|---|
| Name | Institute of South Asian Studies |
| Established | 1993 |
| Type | Research institute |
| Affiliation | National University of Singapore |
| Location | Singapore |
Institute of South Asian Studies is a Singapore-based research institute within the National University of Singapore system, specialising in the study of South Asia and its transnational links. It focuses on policy-relevant analysis of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation region, engaging with actors such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore), Asia-Europe Meeting, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
Founded in 1993 at the National University of Singapore, the institute grew amid post-Cold War shifts involving Liberalization of India (1991), the aftermath of the Soviet–Afghan War, and the rise of Information Technology in India. Early institutional links connected it to scholars from Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Colombo, Dhaka University, Punjab University, University of Delhi, and policy networks including the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the International Crisis Group. Over successive directors the institute navigated regional crises such as the Kargil War, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the Mumbai attacks of 2008, and the COVID-19 pandemic, broadening from classical South Asian studies to include maritime security, regional trade, and diasporic linkages with United Kingdom, United States, China, Australia, and Japan.
The institute's mission emphasizes rigorous analysis of political, economic, strategic, and societal developments in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives, while examining interactions with actors like China, United States, European Union, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and Gulf Cooperation Council. Research themes have included bilateral relations such as Indo-Singapore relations, security dynamics involving Indian Ocean geopolitics, trade arrangements like the South Asian Free Trade Area, governance issues tied to Constitution of India and Constitution of Sri Lanka, and transnational phenomena linked to the Indian diaspora, Labour migration, and the Information Technology in India industry.
Governance is structured through oversight by the National University of Singapore and advisory boards comprising former diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore), academics from London School of Economics, Harvard University, University of Oxford, and policy experts from Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. The institute convenes resident researchers, visiting fellows from Centre for Policy Research, Observer Research Foundation, Institute of Policy Studies (Sri Lanka), and postdoctoral affiliates tied to programmes such as the Erasmus Mundus exchanges and the Fulbright Program. Administrative coordination links with units such as the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (NUS) and the East Asian Institute (Singapore).
Programmes span studies on Indian foreign policy, Pakistan security, Bangladesh development, Sri Lanka reconciliation, Nepal federalism, and Maldives climate change. The institute hosts thematic centres focusing on Maritime Studies intersecting with Indian Ocean Region debates, an economic policy stream addressing Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank engagements, and a social policy hub investigating issues raised by the Right to Information Act, 2005 (India) and the Nagarik Abhiyan. Collaborative projects have examined the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, the China–India border dispute, and the role of regional energy corridors connecting to Trans-Asian Railway visions.
Outputs include working papers, policy briefs, and peer-reviewed monographs addressing subjects such as Indo-Pacific strategy, Counterterrorism in South Asia, Microfinance in Bangladesh, Tamil politics, Kashmir conflict, and Sri Lankan civil war legacies. The institute has published analyses that cite cases like the India–Pakistan partition, the Mahatma Gandhi era reforms, the economic reforms of Manmohan Singh, and comparative studies referencing institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, the State Bank of Pakistan, and the Bangladesh Bank. Publishing partnerships have included academic presses affiliated with Cambridge University Press, Routledge, and journals such as Asian Survey and Contemporary South Asia.
The institute organises conferences, seminars, and public lectures featuring speakers from Ministry of External Affairs (India), Foreign Office (Pakistan), World Health Organization, and think tanks like Brookings Institution, Chatham House, and Asia Society. Regular events examine topics including the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, climate impacts tied to the Indian monsoon, and diasporic engagements between Singapore and South Asian diaspora in Singapore. Outreach includes executive education for diplomats, workshops with the Economic Development Board (Singapore), and media briefings in collaboration with outlets like The Straits Times and Channel NewsAsia.
The institute maintains formal collaborations with universities and organisations such as Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Colombo, University of Delhi, Dhaka University, Columbia University, National Bureau of Asian Research, Observer Research Foundation, and regional bodies including the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and the Asian Development Bank. Project-level partnerships extend to the United Nations Development Programme, the UNESCO, and research networks like the Asia-Europe Foundation and the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific.
Category:Research institutes in Singapore Category:South Asian studies institutions