Draft:Happymon Jacob

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Happymon Jacob
Born2 October 50 |1975 |10| 2
Thiruvalla, Kerala
EducationJawaharlal Nehru University (BA, MA, MPhil, PhD)
Alma materJawaharlal Nehru University
OccupationAssistant Professor University of Jammu

Associate Professor Jawaharlal Nehru University

Visiting Professor Shiv Nadar University
Notable workLine on Fire (2019) The Line of Control (2018)
Websitecsdronline.com/individual/dr-happymon-jacob/

Happymon Jacob is an Indian academic, author, and commentator on international relations and Indian foreign policy. He is a retired professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University.[1][2].In 2003 Jacob joined the Observer Research Foundation[3], later he was appointed as the professor in the department of Strategic and Regional Studies at University of Jammu in 2004. In December 2008 he joined JNU as the Professor of Center for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament (CIPOD) of the school of International studies [4]. Currently he is serving as a visiting professor of Shiv Nadar university. Jacob has authored books on South Asian security, including Line of Control and Line on Fire , and has written extensively for Indian and International media outlets including The Hindu, Hindustan Times, Foreign Affaires, The World Economic Forum, Al Jazeera, Time Magazine, Al Jazeera [5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. He has been frequently cited by international media such as The New York Times, The Guardian, Reuters, and The Washington Post as an expert on South Asian security and diplomacy[12][13][14][15]

Early life and education

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Jacob was born and raised in a Syrian Christian household in Thodupuzha of central Kerala ..[16] He graduated in Philosophy from the Jnana Deepa, Institute of Philosophy and Theology, Pune and Social Science from Punjab University, Chandigarh[17]. He completed his Master's degree in International Relations from Mahatma Gandhi University in 2002[18][19] then he attained his M.Phil. and PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University and appointed as the associate professor in the same university later[20]

Career

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Happymon Jacob's career integrates academic research with public commentary and policy engagement. Throughout his career, Jacob has held visiting positions at institutions such as Institute of Chinese Studies[21] , Central European Studies [22] Australian National University[23]. Jacob's first book The Rise, Fall and and resurgence of Taliban (2005), examined the Taliban's trajectory in Afghanistan and regional security implications[24]. His book Line of Control: Travelling with the Indian and Pakistani Armies (2018) is based on his field visits to both sides of the India-Pakistan border. The book documents his experience of interacting with local population about how it feels to be living near to the Line of Control, as it is a notional line not demarcated on the ground, he termed the people living in front of the border as sacrificial lamb[25] [26][27][28]. Former Indian Intelligence chief A.S. Daulat wrote about Jacob's work "unprecedented access to the line of control on the other side"[29]. In Line on Fire: Ceasefire Violations and India-Pakistan Escalation Dynamics 2019, Jacob discussed the pattern of cross-border firing along the LoC and how persistent ceasefire violation between India and Pakistan could trigger a major escalation[30][31][32].

Recognition in media

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Jacob is an Indian foreign policy analyst, he has been cited for his commentary on South Asian security, India Pakistan relations, and International diplomacy. He has been frequently cited in international outlets Including The New York Times, Reuters [33], The Guardian, The Washington Post, BBC, The Wallstreet Journal, Le Monde[34] both India and International media as an analyst of foreign policy and security issues.

In April 2025 following the militant attack in Kashmir, The New York Times quoted him on India's threat to withdraw from the Indus water treaty[12], he was also cited when JD Vance visited India in April 2025[35], Prime Minster Narendra Modi visit to Russia [36]. On the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir his comment has been cited in The New York Times [37].

Reuters has cited him in reports on U.S. - India relations[14], China-India diplomacy[38], India-Bangladesh relations[39], water disputes with Pakistan[40], and energy security[41].

The Wallstreet Journal quoted Jacob on the abrogation of article 370[42] and on India-Russia relation[43].

Jacob's comment appeared in The Washington Post regarding the importance of BRICS for Russia [15], he also commented after the 2025 terrorist attack in Kashmir [44]. In August of 2023 China published a map with a disputed border of India and China, Jacob commented on that in The Washington Post [45].

Jacob has commented in different occasions for BBC, BBC Hindi, BBC in different issues[46][47] [48] and was interviewed by CNN on the issue of Trump's policy towards India[49]

Contribution to media

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Jacob has reported in various media outlets including The Hindu, Hindustan Times, The Wire (India), The Caravan, Scroll in and other media organizations of India[50][51][52][53]. Jacob has hosted a show on The Wire focusing on foreign policy and security issues, in addition to giving interviews on related topics [54]

Bibliography

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Books

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Book chapters

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  • The India-Pakistan Peace Process", in Pakistan's Stability Paradox, Ashutosh Mishra and Michael Clarke (Eds.), (Routledge Contemporary South Asia Series, London, 2011[55]

Essays

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  • Nuclear Security Governance in India: Institutions, Instruments, and Culture[56]
  • The Secessionist movement in Jammu and Kashmir and India-Pakistan relations [57].
  • Narendra Modi government’s neighborhood policy Jacob, Happymon (2 August 2021). "Narendra Modi government's neighborhood policy". Springer Nature Link. 59 (1): 24–43. doi:10.1057/s41311-021-00340-1. [58]
  • Putting the Periphery at the Center: Indian States’ Role in Foreign Policy[59]
  • Correspondence. The Nonproliferation Review Jacob, Happymon (3 February 2016). "Correspondence. The Nonproliferation Review". Taylor & Francis (1): 113–122. doi:10.1080/10736700.2015.1122934.[60]
  • The Concept of Nuclear Learning: A Study of the Indian Experience[61]
  • Evolution and Practices of the Indian Notion of Sovereignty. Jacob, Happymon (January 2015). "Evolution and Practices of the Indian Notion of Sovereignty". Bloomsbury Collection (1): 19–38. doi:10.5040/9798881813055.ch-1. ISBN 979-8-8818-1305-5 – via ResearchGate.[62]

References

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  1. ^ "Jawaharlal Nehru University". www.jnu.ac.in.
  2. ^ Ghosh, Sohini (22 August 2025). "Will consider VRS request by professor 'positively': JNU to Delhi High Court". The Indian Express. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  3. ^ "Happymon Jacob". orfonline.org.
  4. ^ Ghosh, Sohini (19 August 2025). "Why invite a problem that does not exist?': High Court asks JNU on holding professor's VRS". The Indian Express.
  5. ^ Jacob, Happymon. "Dilemmas of India's great power ambitions". The Hindu.
  6. ^ Jacob, Happymon (September 3, 2025). "Brics as a bloc for India to build global heft". Hindustan Times.
  7. ^ Jacob, Happymon (14 August 2025). "The Shocking Rift Between India and the United States". Foreign Affairs.
  8. ^ Jacob, Happymon (26 June 2025). "Geopolitics: An Unfolding Story". World Economic Forum.
  9. ^ Jacob, Happymon (27 February 2019). "Is war coming to South Asia?". Al Jazeera.
  10. ^ Jacob, Happymon (3 September 2025). "How Modi Is Sending Trump a Message". Time.
  11. ^ Jacob, Happymon (27 February 2019). "Is war coming to South Asia?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  12. ^ a b Das, Anupreeta (24 April 2025). "How India's Threat to Block Rivers Could Devastate Pakistan". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  13. ^ Tisdall, Simon (6 September 2023). "In newly gleaming Delhi, Modi hopes G20 will cement India as a major global player". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  14. ^ a b Lewis, Simon; Brunnstrom, David; Hunnicutt, Trevor (1 December 2023). "Why a murder plot will not turn the US away from India". Reuters.
  15. ^ a b Dixon, Robyn; Hourled, Katharine; Ebel, Francesca; Mehrotra, Karishma (21 October 2024). "BRICS is key to Putin's fight against the U.S. Not all members agree". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  16. ^ "Politics of Memory". livemint.com. 8 July 2015.
  17. ^ "Dr Happymon Jacob to deliver the 5th CPPR Quarterly Lecture on 'Indo-Pak Relations: What lies ahead?". cppr.in. 20 December 2013.
  18. ^ "SIRP Alumni MG University". mgu.ac.in.
  19. ^ "SIRP alumni comes out against media reports". The Indian Express. 14 January 2011.
  20. ^ "Jawaharlal Nehru University Faculty List" (PDF). jnu.ac.in. 30 April 2018.
  21. ^ "Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS)". icsin.org/.
  22. ^ "Dr Happymon Jacob: India-Pakistan border". religion.ceu.edu.
  23. ^ "Associate Professor Happymon Jacob". nsc.anu.edu.au/.
  24. ^ Jacob, Happymon (2005). The Rise, Fall, and the Resurgence of the Taliban. India: Sanskriti. ISBN 9788187374435.
  25. ^ Daulat, A.S. (19 January 2019). "'The Line of Control — Travelling with the Indian and Pakistani Armies' review: Conflict zone". The Hindu. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  26. ^ Singh, Sushant (12 January 2019). "Both Sides Now". The Indian Express. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  27. ^ Laskar, Rezaul (23 February 2019). "Review: The Line of Control by Happymon Jacob". HIndustan Times.
  28. ^ Dawn. "THE LINES OF OTHERS". Dawn.
  29. ^ Daulat, A.S. (19 January 2019). "'The Line of Control — Travelling with the Indian and Pakistani Armies' review: Conflict zone". The Hindu.
  30. ^ Subramanian, Nirupama (18 May 2019). "The Unmaking of Peace". The Indian Express.
  31. ^ Statesman (24 April 2019). "Putting out other meaning of surgical strike insult to Army: Ex-NSA Shivshankar Menon". The Statesman.
  32. ^ NYPL. "Line on fire : ceasefire violations and India-Pakistan escalation dynamics". www.nypl.org/.
  33. ^ Tisdall, Simon (26 February 2019). "India's airstrikes are more posturing than prelude to war". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  34. ^ Landrin, Sophie (2 February 2023). "In the Himalayas, India remains under increasing threat from China". Le Monde. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  35. ^ Das, Anupreeta (21 April 2025). "It's All Sunshine as the Vance Family Arrives in India". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
  36. ^ Das, Anupreeta (8 July 2024). "As Modi Meets Putin in Moscow, India Seeks to Chart Its Own Course". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  37. ^ Gettleman, Jeffrey (23 August 2019). "India's Move in Kashmir: More Than 2,000 Rounded Up With No Recourse". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
  38. ^ Pang, Jessie; Patel, Shivam. "India and China agree to resume air travel, settle economic differences". Reuters. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  39. ^ Das, Krishan; Patel, Shivam; Paul, Ruma (19 March 2025). "India snubs Bangladesh on medical visas, opening way for China". Reuters. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  40. ^ Sing, Sarita C.; Das, Krishna; Ahmed, Aftab; Greenfield, Charolotte; Shahid, Ariba (16 May 2025). "Exclusive: India weighs plan to slash Pakistan water supply with new Indus river project". Reuters.
  41. ^ Verma, Nidhi; Das, Krishna (27 August 2025). "India's Russian oil gains wiped out by Trump's tariffs". Reuters.
  42. ^ Agarwal, Vibhuti; Rana, Preetika (23 August 2019). "India Leaves Risky Political Vacuum in Kashmir". The Wallstreet Journal. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  43. ^ Dhume, Sadanand (20 July 2023). "Russia's Influence on India Wanes Even as Affection Lingers". The Wallstreet Journal. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  44. ^ Irfan, Shams; Mehrotra, Karishma (23 April 2025). "Deadly Kashmir attack threatens new escalation between India and Pakistan". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  45. ^ Shih, Gerry (31 August 2023). "China infuriates India with new map, upsetting chances of thaw in relations". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  46. ^ Biswas, Soutik (30 August 2025). "Trump's rebuke, Xi's handshake, Putin's oil: India's foreign policy test". BBC. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  47. ^ Ahmed, Zubair (4 March 2023). "Is the dominance of America and Europe on the verge of ending?". BBC. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  48. ^ Ahmed, Zubair (4 March 2023). "Is the dominance of America and Europe on the verge of ending?". BBC.
  49. ^ Golodryga, Bianna (27 August 2025). "Trump's policy with India is 'more confusion than strategic realignment'". CNN. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  50. ^ Jacob, Happymon (26 October 2019). "India's big foreign policy shake-up". The Hindu. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  51. ^ Jacob, Happymon. "Read all stories from Happymon Jacob". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  52. ^ Jacob, Happymon. "Articles By Happymon Jacob". The Wire.
  53. ^ Jacob, Happymon (18 February 2019). "Did India plan to reconfigure the Line of Control in Kashmir through 'Operation Kabaddi' in 2001?". Scroll.in. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  54. ^ Jacob, Happymon (4 January 2020). "P. Chidambaram on the Future of Kashmir After Article 370 | The Wire | Happymon Jacob". @TheWireNews. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  55. ^ Mishra, Ashutosh; Jacob, Happymon (14 September 2011). Pakistan's Stability Paradox. ISBN 978-0415619486.
  56. ^ Jacob, Happymon (January 2015). "Nuclear Security Governance in India: Institutions, Instruments, and Culture" (PDF). sandia.go. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  57. ^ Jacob, Happymon (7 December 2017). "The Secessionist Movement in Jammu and Kashmir and India–Pakistan Relations". International Studies. 51 (1–4): 35–55. doi:10.1177/0020881717710401.
  58. ^ Jacob, Happymon (February 2022). "Narendra Modi government's neighborhood policy". ResearchGate.
  59. ^ Jacob, Happymon (10 October 2016). "Putting the Periphery at the Center: Indian States' Role in Foreign Policy". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
  60. ^ Jacob, Happymon; Narang, Vipin; Vogel, Kathleen (3 February 2016). "Correspondence. The Nonproliferation Review". Taylor and Francis: 113–122. doi:10.1080/10736700.2015.1122934.
  61. ^ Jacob, Happymon (June 2014). "The Concept of Nuclear Learning: A Study of the Indian Experience". calhoun.nps.edu. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  62. ^ Jacob, Happymon (January 2015). "Evolution and Practices of the Indian Notion of Sovereignty". Bloomsbury Collections (1): 19–38. doi:10.5040/9798881813055.ch-1. ISBN 979-8-8818-1305-5.