Research Notes
Collection of specialized research notes and insights advancing underwater domain awareness.
APY Analysis For Shrimp Farming
Shrimp farming in India plays a vital role in the blue economy, contributing significantly to export growth, coastal development, and livelihood generation. Despite challenges like low efficiency and environmental issues, APY analysis and modern technologies offer solutions for sustainable growth and productivity enhancement.
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) as a Public Policy Instrument in the New Global Order
This research note argues that Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) must evolve from a mere technical zoning tool into a strategic public policy instrument capable of translating Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) into tangible governance outcomes. It analyzes the performance and viability of MSP across global, Indo-Pacific, and national (India) scales, identifying critical gaps—political, institutional, technological, and legal—that hinder effective ocean stewardship. The paper ultimately advocates for an integrated, intelligence-driven, and adaptive MSP framework to manage the complexities of the underwater domain in a geopolitically multipolar world.
Mapping the Indian Ocean Rim Association Through The Underwater Domain Awareness Framework
This research note investigates the potential of integrating the Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) framework into the strategic pillars of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). It critically examines the geopolitical, economic, and environmental challenges facing the IOR, and demonstrates how UDA, combined with Digital Transformation and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), can enhance regional cooperation, maritime security, and sustainable development. The core argument is that UDA provides the necessary holistic, data-driven approach to transform IORA into a unified and proactively operational regional organization.
The China Factor in Brahmaputra River Management: Implications for Indian Strategy
This research note examines China’s growing upstream control over the Brahmaputra River and its implications for India’s strategic, environmental, and diplomatic policies. It highlights how China’s large-scale hydropower projects and limited data transparency heighten regional water insecurity. The study urges India to adopt adaptive, technology-driven, and cooperative governance under frameworks like Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA)
The Nuanced Indian Approach to the Brahmaputra River: Strategic Vision, Development Initiatives, and Indigenous Knowledge Systems
This study examines India’s strategic, developmental, and ecological engagement with the Brahmaputra River between 2021–2025. It highlights how SAGAR Vision, Sagarmala, and indigenous knowledge systems shape a multi-dimensional governance approach. The paper calls for integrated, climate-responsive, and data-driven river management under the Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) framework.
Water Security in the Brahmaputra River Basin: A Review of Literature from 2021 to 2025
This review synthesizes recent literature (2021–2025) on water security in the Brahmaputra River Basin (BRB), a critical transboundary system shared by China, India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. It focuses on the complex hydropolitical dynamics, the implications of large-scale hydropower projects (particularly China's announced dam in Tibet), the vulnerabilities of riverine communities to climate-induced flooding and erosion, and the necessity for cooperative and integrated management strategies. The review underscores that the absence of a legally binding treaty and persistent data gaps hamper trust-building and sustainable resource utilization.
Ground Realities of the Brahmaputra River: Past and Present Management, Emerging Challenges, and a Way Forward
This research note examines the evolving challenges of the Brahmaputra River, including rising flood risks, sediment overload, and transboundary governance issues. It reviews management approaches from the past to present and proposes an innovative way forward using Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA). The study emphasizes regional cooperation, real-time monitoring, and climate-resilient river governance.