Shaista | The Statecraft Institute

Shaista is an Independent Researcher based in New Delhi, specialising in security studies and international relations. Previously, she served as a faculty member at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Maharashtra, and at the ICFAI University, Jaipur, where she taught courses on International Relations and Political Science. Her current research focuses on American military infrastructure in the Gulf, regional security dynamics in West Asia, and the complexities of the contemporary refugee crisis.

Publications by Shaista

Published on: July 11, 2026Commentary

From the Persian Gulf to the Pacific: Rethinking US Deterrence for the China Challenge

middle-east strategy

The Persian Gulf conflict exposed vulnerabilities to US bases before Iranian missile and drone strikes. Lessons urge a shift to deterrence-by-denial in the Indo-Pacific: dispersed forces, mobile assets, and strengthened alliances along the First Island Chain to counter Chinese A2/AD threats.