Interaction and Discussion with Dr Bruce Jones (Director, Foreign Policy Program, & Project on International Order and Strategy, Brookings Institution)

The National Maritime Foundation (NMF), New Delhi, had an interactive session with Dr Bruce Jones, the Director of the Foreign Policy Program and Project on International Order and Strategy at the Brookings Institution, on Thursday, 22 February 2024.  Commodore Debesh Lahiri, the Executive Director of NMF, led the discussion, which was attended by senior fellows, civilian researchers, and research interns at the NMF.

During the session, Dr Jones provided insights into the increasing significance of naval power for superpowers like the U.S. in maintaining their geopolitical dominance. He discussed contemporary challenges facing the U.S. Navy, including stretched security commitments in global maritime theatres, lack of synergy with allies, challenges in the shipbuilding programme, and the growing capabilities of the PLA Navy.

The ensuing discussion focused on various topics, including the prospects of the AUKUS agreement, leveraging American shipbuilding capabilities and technological advancements through collaboration with close allies, and strategies to strengthen the Indo-U.S. Strategic Partnership in the maritime domain to ensure stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific region.

The interaction concluded with Dr Bruce Jones signing his book, “To Rule the Waves,” for the NMF, and he was presented with a set of Maritime Perspectives 2023 as a token of appreciation.