Network for Advanced Study of Pakistan (NASP) Fellowship

Applications to the 2025-26 NASP Fellowship have closed. Please indicate your interest using the form below for next year’s Fellowship.

Programme Overview

The Network for Advanced Study of Pakistan (NASP) Fellowship aims to create high quality scholarship and knowledge of Pakistan by nurturing new generations of analysts in academia, think tanks, media and industry. The fellowship will create a cross-disciplinary community of scholars and a body-of-knowledge that will inform policy, strategy, economics, security, and society.

The NASP Fellowship

The NASP Fellowship offers opportunities for analysts and scholars to work under the co-guidance of foremost experts and work towards a publication in the leading journals in the field. This includes a three-day conference in Bengaluru. In addition, cash prizes up to Rs 1 lakh each will be awarded to a select number of papers determined by the jury. The duration of the fellowship is 10 months.

Focus Areas

NASP fellows will undertake research in one or more of the following areas: Local Politics & Political Systems; Military Influence and Civil-Military Relations; Economy; Technology, Education, and Social Media; Security; and Foreign Policy. Fellows will have the opportunity to work with mentors who are among the leading experts in Pakistan studies. Through this mentorship opportunity, NASP Fellows will gain invaluable skills in research, critical thinking, analysis, communication, etc.

We at NASP believe that specific aspects of Pakistan studies remain severely understudied. Proposals addressing these questions (link below) are therefore more likely to make a meaningful impact. Research proposals must fall within one of the domains mentioned below. Sample questions have been provided for these domains. Please note that priority will be given to proposals that align closely with the identified themes and questions in each domain.

More details about the specific domains and scope of research can be found here: NASP Research Questions

Who Should Apply?

NASP invites applications from researchers from any background, including from universities, research institutes, media, government services and industry, who are enthusiastic about undertaking fresh research on Pakistan.

For this year’s Fellowship, we encourage research proposals on Pakistan studies in these domains: Local Politics & Political Systems; Military Influence and Civil-Military Relations; Economy; Technology, Education, and Social Media; Security; and Foreign Policy.

Prospective fellows must be Indian citizens, have at least an undergraduate degree and be proficient in English.

NASP Fellowship Process

Prospective fellows must submit a brief research proposal demonstrating their interest and capability to complete the project. The proposal (800 words maximum) should clearly state the current gaps in research and how the author(s) would approach the issue. Along with the research proposal submission, author(s) must also send a past writing sample, either published or unpublished, on any topic that is not more than 1000 words.

Up to two authors can submit a joint proposal. Multidisciplinary approaches and collaborations are encouraged.

Selected applicants will be invited to join the fellowship, assigned mentors and projects. The best research output will be rewarded with cash prizes and commendations.

Timeline

The application window for the third cohort of NASP Fellowship is now open.

  • June 5 - Call for Indication of Interest

  • June 20 –  Research proposal submission deadline

  • June 29 - July 5 - Interview (Round 1 screening)

  • July 7 - Notification of selected research proposals

  • July 9 – Start of NASP-3 fellowship

  • October 15 - Submission deadline for Interim draft paper

  • October 30 - Round 2 screening

  • November 21-23 - 3-day Academic Conference

  • February 15, 2026 - Submission deadline for Second draft

  • March 31, 2026 - Submission of final draft paper for Journal Submission

  • May 15, 2026 - Selection & award of best papers by an independent academic panel

Mentors

Prof. Sumit Ganguly

Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution and Director, Huntington Program on Strengthening US-India Relations

Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa

Senior Research Fellow, Department of War Studies, Kings College London

Dr. T.C.A Raghavan

Former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan

Lt General (Dr) Prakash Menon

Director, Strategic Studies Programme, Takshashila Institution

Dr. Shanthie Mariet D’Souza

Founder & Director, Mantraya Institute of Strategic Studies

Dr Y. Nithiyanandam

Professor and the Head of the Geospatial Programme, Takshashila Institution

Dr. Atul Mishra

Head, Department of International Relations and Governance Studies, Shiv Nadar University

Pranay Kotasthane

Deputy Director, Takshashila Institution

Dr. Aparna Pande

Research Fellow, Hudson Institute

Anand Arni

Distinguished Fellow, Takshashila Institution

Prof. D Suba Chandran

Dean of the School of Conflict and Security Studies,

National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS)

Manoj Kewalramani

Fellow-China Studies and the Chairperson of the Indo-Pacific Studies Programme, Takshashila Institution

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