Anushka Saxena
Staff Research Analyst at the Takshashila Institution's Geostrategy Programme. Doctoral Scholar at Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Specialising in Chinese military affairs, China-Taiwan relations, and India's foreign policy. Curator of the weekly Eye on China newsletter.
Anushka Saxena
Geostrategy Programme, The Takshashila Institution
Profile
Anushka Saxena is a Staff Research Analyst with Takshashila's Geostrategy Programme. She is also a Doctoral Scholar at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education's Department of Geopolitics and International Relations. Her research focuses on the Chinese People's Liberation Army and its reforms, China-Taiwan relations, and India's foreign policy. She curates the weekly newsletter Eye on China.
She has previously worked with think tanks such as the Observer Research Foundation, Institute of Chinese Studies, and Centre for Social and Economic Progress, and has written for platforms such as MP-IDSA, Centre for Land Warfare Studies, and Vivekananda International Foundation. She obtained her Master's in International Relations from O.P. Jindal Global University (2023) and her B.A. (Hons) in History from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi (2021).
Research Interests & Areas
Chinese Military Affairs
PLA reforms, military modernisation, political-military dynamics under Xi Jinping, and corruption purges within China's armed forces.
China-Taiwan Relations
Cross-strait dynamics, military exercises, escalation scenarios, and the geopolitical implications of a potential Taiwan Strait crisis.
India's Foreign Policy
India-China relations, India's neighbourhood diplomacy, economic diplomacy frameworks, and multilateral engagement strategies.
Indo-Pacific Strategy
Regional security architecture, maritime dynamics, ASEAN perspectives, and the evolving Indo-Pacific geopolitical landscape.
Defence Technology
Drone warfare, AI in military operations, space policy, counter-space capabilities, and critical technology landscapes.
Chinese Economy & Governance
Economic reforms, Politburo study sessions, third plenums, and the interplay between China's economic and military ambitions.
Experience & Education
Staff Research Analyst
Leading research on Chinese military affairs, curating the "Eye on China" newsletter, and publishing policy analysis on Indo-Pacific dynamics.
Doctoral Scholar
Department of Geopolitics and International Relations, researching the intersection of Chinese military reform and regional security.
Former Researcher
M.A. International Relations
B.A. (Hons) History
Eye on China
A weekly newsletter decoding Chinese military, political, and economic developments — curated by Anushka at the Takshashila Institution.