Indira Ravindran

Former Adjunct Fellow, China Studies

Dr. Indira Priyadarshini Ravindran is the former Adjunct Fellow for China Studies at Gateway House. She holds a PhD in Political Science from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA. During her time in the DC-Baltimore area, she managed research and communication at CIVICUS, a global civil society organization. After moving to the PRC in 2007, she taught at East China Normal University, and at Tongji University. Currently, she is faculty member at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs (SIRPA) in the Shanghai International Studies University (SISU); teaching IR theory and political economy courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Since 2012, she has concurrently served as Adjunct Professor for Webster University (USA) China program located in Beijing.  In 2016, she was invited as visiting professor to the Centre for South Asia Studies, SAIS, Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC. She is associated with Shanghai’s India Business Forum in a voluntary advisory capacity; as also with Chennai Centre for China Studies. She is engaged with the organized movement for land and water resource management in her native village in Cuddalore district, Tamilnadu.
Expertise

Chinese political economy, China-India bilateralism, the role of India and China in global affairs

Last modified: January 15, 2018

Recent projects

2017-11 7389 Courtesy: Independent
1 January 2018 Gateway House

Trump’s NSS and Great Power competition

The camaraderie that Trump and Xi projected in November 2017 generated unease. At year end, Trump’s National Security Strategy did away with the multipolar niceties, but the challenges remain: for the U.S., it’s promoting rule of law while opting out of multilateral bodies. For China, it’s taking stock of how its image corresponds to reality
37575409684_6289864915_o Courtesy: Flickr/WhiteHouse
17 November 2017 Gateway House

Trump in China: ceremonial hits, strategic misses

The visit yielded no dramatic breakthrough. But Team Xi finally got the respect and validation it desired, and deserved. Trump rightly praised China’s success in meeting its own development goals and contributing to global growth. But he is unlikely to soften his stance on jobs lost to China or the more vexing structural issues
Xi new Era Courtesy: Forex Repository
27 October 2017 Gateway House

Expectations from CCP’s new era of Xi

Xi Jinping, who became the first leader since China’s modernisation to have his name inscribed—during his tenure—in the Chinese Communist Party’s Constitution, will fine-tune and popularise Deng Xiaoping’s famous phrase, ‘Socialism with Chinese Characteristics’, to suit a new era. He has adhered to Party rules while subtly subverting long-standing traditions
xi giving speech Courtesy: Hindustan Times
23 October 2017 Gateway House

Key takeaways from Xi’s work report

Amidst the grand messaging and visual splendour of the 19th Party Congress, Xi made some telling pronouncements. He sent out a stern warning to separatist elements, threatening the country’s unity, and emphasised “ecology” and “environment” over “economy” and “market”. Over and above it all, the Chinese Communist Party that he rejuvenated emerged the real ‘hero’ in the epic story
chinese congress Courtesy: South China Morning Post
17 October 2017 Gateway House

19th Congress is CCP dominance on display

At the Chinese Communist Party’s 19th Congress, President Xi Jinping will surely consolidate and project his power within the Chinese Communist Party. But, there are other crucial elements to be observed and studied beneath the obvious grandeur of the Congress, such as, how it has retained its longevity and tenacity, how it commands loyalty and ideological compliance, and how change gets institutionalised. This week-long event will yield important clues
913860-ChinastockmarketAFP-1435858588-636-640x480 Courtesy: Tribune
5 October 2017 Gateway House

Learnings from Chinese outbound investment

Beijing has its finger on the economic pulse of the country, demonstrating a responsiveness to criticism at home and abroad. It reveals a great deal about Chinese political priorities and societal changes, and offers a collective learning for investors and markets worldwide – and especially for India.