Speakers | Chanakya Defence Dialogue

MEET THE SPEAKERS: DAY 1

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Amb VIJAY K GOKHALE

Amb Vijay Gokhale joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1981 and was diplomatically assigned to Hong Kong, Hanoi, Beijing, New York and Taipei among other countries. He was India’s High Commissioner to Malaysia from January 2010 to October 2013, Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany from October 2013 to January 2016, and Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China from January 2016 to October 2017. Read more...

SESSION I: Neighbourhood First - South Asia Prognosis

Amb ASHOK K KANTHA

Amb Ashok K Kantha is a career diplomat with over 38 years of experience. He served as the Ambassador of India to China until January 2016 and held various diplomatic roles, including Secretary (East) at the Ministry of External Affairs. His expertise lies in India's relationships with its neighbours, with a strong focus on China. Read more...

Lt Gen (Dr) RAKESH SHARMA

Lt Gen Dr Rakesh Sharma superannuated from Indian Army in 2017, after 40 years of service. He is currently holding Gen Bipin Rawat Chair in USI, is a member of EC of MP IDSA and USI. Gen Sharma is also a Distinguished Fellow with CLAWS and VIF. Read more...

Amb SHAMSHER M CHOWDHURY

Amb Shamsher Mubin Chowdhury, born in 1950, started his career in the military and was awarded the Bir Bikram for his valour during the Bangladesh War of Liberation in 1971. He later transitioned to a diplomatic career, serving in various roles and representing Bangladesh in international forums. Read more...

Mr ASANGA ABEYAGOONASEKARA

Mr Asanga Abeyagoonasekera is a Sri Lankan international security analyst, Senior Fellow, and Executive Director at South Asia Foresight Network (SAFN) in Washington, DC. He advises the IMF, is a World Economic Forum member and the author of multiple books. With extensive government and think tank experience, he was the founding Director-General of Sri Lanka's National Security Think Tank. Read more...

Mr CHIRAN JUNG THAPA

Mr Chiran Jung Thapa is currently working as a Security sector/Civil Military Relations Consultant in Kathmandu. Previously, he was employed at the Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations in New York. Read more...

SESSION II: Indo Pacific - The Decisive Frontier

ADMIRAL SUNIL LANBA

Admiral Sunil Lanba, a distinguished naval officer, is an alumnus of several prestigious military institutions and had a four-decade-long naval career, contributing to enhancing training and battle-readiness for the Indian Navy. As the Chief of Staff of the Southern Naval Command, he transformed training methodologies and as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, he initiated several initiatives to enhance the Navy's capabilities and integration. Read more...

VICE ADMIRAL AMARULLA OCTAVIAN

With a diverse background, Prof. Amarulla Octavian has accomplished a robust military career, including training at various prestigious institutions and commanding roles, covering naval operational and strategic positions. Prof. Amarulla holds a master's degree from Université Paris 2 and a doctorate in Sociology from the University of Indonesia. Read more...

Ms LISA K CURTIS

Ms Lisa Curtis is a highly experienced foreign policy and national security expert with over 20 years in the U.S. government, including roles at the National Security Council, CIA, State Department, and Capitol Hill. She currently directs the Indo-Pacific Security Program at CNAS and specializes in U.S. policy in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia. Read more...

SESSION III: Collaborative Partnerships For Security

Lt Gen PRAKASH MENON

Lt Gen Prakash Menon is the Director of the Strategic Studies Programme. He has a decorated military career, including extensive operational experience in commanding counter-insurgency operations. He holds a PhD and has been involved in post-retirement government roles. Read more...

Dr R DE CASTRO, PHILIPPINES

Dr Renato Cruz De Castro is a distinguished professor at De La Salle University, Manila, and an adjunct faculty member at the National Defence College of the Philippines (NDCP). He has held visiting fellow and researcher positions at institutions in Japan, the U.S., and D.C. De Castro conducts professional courses on International Relations, Strategic, and Security Studies, and is a module director for the graduate course on International Security Studies at the NDCP. Read more...

Dr SATORU NAGAO, JAPAN

Dr Satoru Nagao, a fellow at Hudson Institute in Tokyo, Japan, specializes in US-Japan-India security cooperation. He earned his Ph.D. from Gakushuin University for groundbreaking research on "India's Military Strategy." Read more...

Dr PACO MILHIET

Dr Paco Milhiet holds a PhD in International Relations jointly conferred by the University of French Polynesia and the Catholic Institute of Paris. Read more...

MEET THE SPEAKERS: DAY 2

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Dr ARVIND VIRMANI

Dr Arvind Virmani, is distinguished member of Niti Aayog. An eminent economist, Dr Virmani has been a key figure in the study of Macroeconomics and Policy Reform. He earlier served as Chairman of the Foundation for Economic Growth and Welfare (EGROW) and President of the Forum for Strategic Initiatives (FSI, Delhi). He has also been a member of various think tanks, both domestic and international, and has imparted his expertise in matters of finance to many financial institutions within India, both government and private. Read more...

SESSION IV: How Emerging Technologies Impact Defence And Security

Dr UMAMAHESWARAN R

Dr Umamaheshwaran R is a domain expert in in the field of launch vehicle system electrical integration, checkout, ground station, avionics, system engineering as well as in space policy planning, holding a Ph.D in Electronics & Communication from National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirapalli. Dr Umamaheswaran has been with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for over a period of nearly 35 years. Read more...

Prof VEEZHINATHAN KAMAKOTI

Prof Kamakoti Veezhinathan received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Madras. He joined the faculty in 2001 and took over as it's Director in January 2022. He specializes in the area of Computer Architecture, Information Security and VLSI Design. Read more...

Prof MAYANK VATSA

Prof Mayank Vatsa, a computer scientist, holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from West Virginia University, USA. He is a Professor at IIT Jodhpur, India, and has received numerous accolades, including the Swarnajayanti Fellowship Award from the Indian government and a Meritorious Service Award from IEEE Biometrics Council. Read more...

SESSION V: Indian Defence Industries as Enabler for Collaborative Capacity Building

Lt Gen (Dr) SUBRATA SAHA

Lt Gen (Dr) Subrata Saha a former Deputy Chief of Army Staff and Member of the National Security Advisory Board, is a decorated officer with extensive experience in various key roles within the Indian Army. Notable positions include his tenure as the 15 Corps Commander in Kashmir and his leadership of the Army Design Bureau. Read more...

Cmde ARUN P GOLAYA

Commodore Arun P Golaya is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 January, 1992. The officer has specialised in Navigation, Aircraft Direction, and Naval Operations. In addition to serving afloat in frontline warships, including the INS Mumbai and the INS Godavari as the Navigating Officer, the officer has commanded three ships including one on deputation to the Coast Guard. During his command of the Diving Support Ship, the INS Nireekshak, the ship was awarded a coveted ‘Unit Citation’. Read more...

Mr RAJINDER SINGH BHATIA

Mr Rajinder Singh Bhatia, an Army Veteran and a prominent figure in India's defence industry, boasts of over 40 years of experience. He currently serves as the President of the Defence business at Bharat Forge and holds key positions as Chairman of Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited, KRAS (a joint venture between Rafael and KSSL), and BFPEL. Under his leadership, the Kalyani Group has established strategic partnerships with major defence and aerospace OEMs worldwide, positioning itself at the forefront of India's Defence & Aerospace landscape. Read more...

Dr SHIVARAMAN RAMASWAMY

An entrepreneur with expertise in successfully running start-ups. Co- founder at Big Bang Boom Solutions, and currently heading the Research and Product Development functions of BBBS. He has Over 50 international publications with the latest of some being patented in India and USA. Read more...

SESSION VI: Comprehensive Deterrence : The India Way

Lt Gen DEEPENDRA SINGH HOODA

Lt Gen Hooda joined the 4th Gorkha Rifles in 1976, serving in Nagaland during the Naga insurgency. He attended Canada's Command and Staff College and played a key role in setting up the UN Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea. He led disaster relief during the 2005 Jammu and Kashmir earthquake. As a major general in Manipur, he managed counterinsurgency operations. Read more...

Amb D B VENKATESH VARMA

Amb D B Venkatesh Varma had a distinguished career in the Indian Foreign Service from 1988 to 2021. He held various key roles, including serving in the Prime Minister's Office and as India's Ambassador to important nations, such as Spain and Russia. He played a crucial part in shaping India's security and defence policies while serving as Joint Secretary for Disarmament and International Security. Read more...

Col KPM DAS

Col KPM Das an Adjunct Fellow at the Takshashila Institution, currently serves as the National Cybersecurity and Trust Officer for Cisco in India and Asia Pacific, driving emerging cybersecurity initiatives. With a background in the IT services industry and prior service in the Indian Army, he has held leadership roles and demonstrated expertise in information warfare, military technology, and cybersecurity. Read more...