Shashank Sharma was a Senior Fellow (Jul 2021- Jun 22) at the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), New Delhi. He has held various afloat, training and staff appointments in the Indian Navy. He holds a Masters in Nautical Science from Cochin University of Science and Technology and Masters in Defence and Strategic Studies from the Madras University. He is an alumnus of Defence Services and Staff College. His research focus is the role of maritime-military domain in furthering regional security and India’s National Interests in the Indian Ocean and the Asia-Pacific region.

Contributions 
DRDO-Industry Interaction on Improving the Defence R&D Ecosystem (VIF organized an interaction among DRDO, Indian defence industry and the strategic community on 8th June 2022 on synergizing the Defence R&D ecosystem in India. Mr Hari Babu Srivastava, Director General Technology Management, DRDO apprised the at...

In Aid of a Troubled Maritime Neighbour: India and the Sri Lankan Financial Crisis India’s neighbourhood is in a churn with both Pakistan and Sri Lanka reeling under severe economic and political crises. While Pakistan, obstinately continues to inflict pain unto itself with its self-defeating obduracy, Sri Lanka finds itself at t...

Malabar Joint Naval Exercise – A Viable Deterrent of Quad in the Indo Pacific? Malabar 2021 The Phase-II of Indian Navy’s (IN) Multilateral Maritime Exercise Malabar2021 (25thedition) kicked off in the Bay of Bengal on 12 October 2021 with participation from the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), Royal Aus...

VIF Papers 
People’s Liberation Army Navy - An Overview of Maritime Strategic Thought, Naval Capabilities, Implications of Military Reforms & Naval Operations and Exercises This paper aims to provide an overview of the Chinese maritime strategic thought and naval capabilities that could have a bearing on India’s strategic and security environment, particularly in the Indian Ocean. It provides a broad picture of major ...

U.S. Department of Defence Annual Report of 2020 on China’s Military Power: Implications for India’s Maritime Security The US Department of Defence (DoD) Annual Report of 2020 on China Military Power released in September 2020 brings out China’s meteoric military progress in recent years. The report states that China is already ahead of the United States in certain...

Event Reports 
Discussion with Chairman DRDO on Self Reliance in Defence Technologies VIF organised a round table discussion among Dr G Satheesh Reddy, the Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation), the strategic community and representatives from the private Indian defence ...

Vimarsh - Role of the Indian Army in dealing with the Contemporary National Security Challenges by General Manoj Mukund Naravane, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC (Chief of the Army Staff) The Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC spoke on the “Role of the Indian Army (IA) in dealing with the Contemporary National Security Challenges” during the Vimarsh series of lecture organised by VIF on 24 F...

Vimarsh on Changing Contours of Competition and Conflict - Implications for Indian Navy by Admiral Karambir Singh, PVSM, AVSM, ADC, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) As part of Vimarsh series of lectures on 21 Jan 2021, Admiral Karambir Singh, PVSM, AVSM, ADC, Chief of the Naval Staff spoke on “Changing Contours of Competition and Conflict - Implications for Indian Navy”. Admiral Karambir Singh brought out...

Contact Us