Professor (Dr.) Pankaj Jha

From 2005 to 2011, Dr. Jha was an Associate Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA). His work during this period contributed to his extensive engagement with questions of defence, national security, Southeast Asian security dynamics, and regional strategic affairs.

He later worked as Deputy Director in the National Security Council Secretariat (2012–2013) of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), where he helped formulate and implement key ideas to strengthen India’s defensive and offensive capabilities, regional threat assessments, and security coordination.

From 2013 to 2016, Dr. Jha worked at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and served as Director of Research. During his tenure, he spearheaded important publications, track-1.5 strategic dialogues, and encouraged high quality research output from a large team of scholars working on foreign policy themes.

“His experience across these institutions gave him a perspective that went beyond conventional academic scholarship. He understood strategic affairs both as a researcher and as someone who had worked closely with the policy and national security establishment.”

CeSCube was born from Dr. Jha’s belief that good research should bring together ideas, knowledge and experience.

He strongly believed in creating opportunities for young researchers and giving them the space to think independently, develop their arguments and engage seriously with contemporary questions of security and strategy. For him, young scholars were not simply participants in the research process. They had ideas and perspectives that deserved to be heard, discussed and refined.

This became an important part of the vision behind CeSCube. The Centre was envisioned as a space where young researchers, professionals and experienced scholars could come together, exchange ideas and contribute to meaningful research on security, strategy, geopolitics and international affairs.

Those who worked with Dr. Jha knew that mentorship was an important part of who he was.

He took a genuine interest in the academic and professional development of young researchers. He encouraged students to write, publish, question established arguments and develop their own understanding of strategic affairs. He believed that research became meaningful when knowledge was shared and when younger scholars were given the confidence and opportunity to contribute.

This spirit of mentorship remains closely connected with CeSCube and the work that the Centre continues to undertake today.