Arzan Tarapore

Arzan Tarapore Headshot CISAC

Arzan Tarapore, PhD

  • Research Scholar at CISAC

Biography

Arzan Tarapore is a Research Scholar whose research focuses on Indian military strategy and regional security issues in the Indo-Pacific. In academic year 2024-25, he is also a part-time Visiting Research Professor at the China Landpower Studies Center, at the U.S. Army War College. Prior to his scholarly career, he served for 13 years in the Australian Defence Department in various analytic, management, and liaison positions, including operational deployments and a diplomatic posting to the Australian Embassy in Washington, DC.

His academic work has been published in the Journal of Strategic Studies, International Affairs, The Washington Quarterly, Asia Policy, and Joint Force Quarterly, among others, and his policy commentary frequently appears on platforms such as Foreign Affairs, the Hindu, the Indian Express, The National Interest, the Lowy Institute's Interpreter, the Brookings Institution’s Lawfare, and War on the Rocks.

He previously held research and teaching positions at Georgetown University, the East-West Center in Washington, the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, and the RAND Corporation.

He earned a PhD in war studies from King's College London, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and a BA (Hons) from the University of New South Wales. Follow his commentary on Twitter @arzandc and his website at arzantarapore.com.

publications

Journal Articles
January 2023

Zone Balancing: India and the Quad's New Strategic Logic

Author(s)
cover link Zone Balancing: India and the Quad's New Strategic Logic
Journal Articles
August 2021

Almost Parity: Understanding the India-Pakistan Conventional Military Balance

Author(s)
cover link Almost Parity: Understanding the India-Pakistan Conventional Military Balance
Journal Articles
July 2021

Indian Ocean Strategic Futures

Author(s)
cover link Indian Ocean Strategic Futures

In The News

World leaders gather at The Quad summit in Tokyo
News

India’s Strategic Balancing Act: The Quad as a Vehicle for Zone Balancing

In a new International Affairs article, APARC South Asia Research Scholar Arzan Tarapore introduces the concept of zone balancing, applies the theory to explain India’s embrace of the Quad, and identifies some of the minilateral partnership’s strategic limitations.
cover link India’s Strategic Balancing Act: The Quad as a Vehicle for Zone Balancing
Microchip
Commentary

Towards Meaningful Quad Cooperation on Intelligence

Collaborative AI capabilities would allow the partners to deepen military cooperation, should leaders choose that step.
cover link Towards Meaningful Quad Cooperation on Intelligence
Kari Bingen discusses Indian national security
News

APARC’s South Asia Initiative Sets Forth a New Agenda for Indian Competitiveness

The inaugural conference of APARC's South Asia Initiative convened experts from the public and private sectors to examine the role that critical and emerging technologies can play in India’s national security and generate new pathways for U.S.-India cooperation.
cover link APARC’s South Asia Initiative Sets Forth a New Agenda for Indian Competitiveness