Dr Soumya Awasthi
Dr. Soumya Awasthi, Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, is a scholar-practitioner in the field of strategic studies, counterterrorism, and defence policy, and currently serves as a Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in New Delhi. Her work spans the intersections of technology-terrorism, ideological extremism, regional geopolitics, and international peacebuilding, backed by over a decade of policy engagement, field research, and academic contributions.
She has previously served in research and advisory roles with globally recognised institutions such as the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (UK), the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), and the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence and Strategic Analyses in India. She has also held fellowships at the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping and the Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research at the United Service Institution of India.
Dr. Awasthi’s journey in leadership and discipline began with her outstanding contributions to the National Cadet Corps (NCC). She was conferred the prestigious National Best Cadet Award consecutively for four years. She represented India in the Youth Exchange Programme. A competitive athlete, she also represented Delhi in rifle shooting championships at various state and national levels.
Dr. Awasthi’s work is deeply rooted in field engagement. She has conducted extensive on-the-ground research across Kashmir, Afghanistan, the United States, and the United Kingdom, studying the complexities of conflict and post-conflict scenarios, radicalisation, and peace operations. She is one of the few, and probably the only, women from India and academia who have interviewed Taliban members and Mujahideen in Afghanistan, as well as suspected militants in the jails of Jammu and Kashmir.
In recognition of her leadership and international policy contributions, Dr. Awasthi was selected to represent India in the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP), which is nominated and sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
Her academic journey includes a Ph.D. from the School of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University; she also holds an MPhil in Defence and Strategic Studies from Savitribai Phule Pune University.
A published author, Dr. Awasthi has written four books, including:
- Compendium on Terror Groups (2022),
- Tracing the Journey of India’s Defence Budget and Its Future: An Analysis (2015),
- Diverse Narratives and Shared Beliefs: Classical to Hybrid Deoband Islam in South Asia (2025), and
- Co-editor of India’s Nuclear Titans: Biographical Tales (2023).
Her work is widely appreciated by diplomats, scholars, and members of the Indian scientific community. She has presented her research at numerous international conferences and is a regular contributor to platforms such as the Jamestown Foundation and the Hindustan Times.