Colonel Nalin Herath, Director General of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), recently concluded a significant visit to Nepal, where he engaged with scholars, policymakers, and thought leaders on pressing regional issues, including climate security and geopolitical resilience in South Asia. His visit, from March 30th to April 1st, 2025, coincided with his participation in an international conference hosted by the Consortium of South Asian Think Tanks (COSATT) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), titled “South Asia’s Stability in a Turbulent World: The European Union’s Role in Shaping Regional Resilience.” Representing INSS, he addressed key strategic challenges facing the region and emphasized the importance of multilateral cooperation in fostering long-term resilience. He also extended appreciation to Dr. Nishchal Pande and his team for their exceptional coordination of the event.
During the conference, Col. Herath highlighted the EU’s role in shaping South Asia’s regional resilience, particularly through diplomatic engagements, economic investments, and sustainable security frameworks. He stressed the importance of collaborative approaches in tackling transnational security challenges, including climate-induced risks, economic vulnerabilities, and geopolitical uncertainties. COSATT, as a leading regional think tank network, played a crucial role in facilitating dialogue and research-driven policy recommendations, bringing together experts, diplomats, and security analysts to explore solutions for strengthening South Asia’s stability.
Beyond the COSATT conference, Col. Herath engaged with scholars and students at the Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE) and Kathmandu University School of Management, where he delivered lectures on climate security and strategic resilience. These discussions underscored the growing significance of Nepal as a center for regional and international strategic dialogue. His visit reaffirmed the necessity of stronger regional cooperation and global partnerships in addressing evolving security challenges and enhancing South Asia’s collective resilience.
The COSATT event was attended by Ambassador Shanker Das Bairagi, former National Security Advisor, former foreign secretary, Kathmandu who graced the ceremony as the chief guest and notable dignitaries including Thomas Millar, Charge d’ affaires a.i., Delegation of the EU in Nepal, Andreas Klein, Director, Political Dialogue Asia Programme, KAS, Singapore, Prof. Sanjay Chaturvedi, Director, Institute of South Asian Studies, South Asian University (SAU), New Delhi, Hernaikh Singh, Deputy Director, Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), Singapore, Ivano di Carlo, Senior Policy Analyst, European Policy Centre, Brussels, Dr. Vidur Ghimire, Coordinator, International Trade Centre (joint agency of WTO and UN), Kathmandu. Prof. D. Suba Chandran, Dean, School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies, (NIAS), Bengaluru, and Ms. Megha Sarmah, Programme Manager 2030 Agenda, Regional Programme Political Dialogue Asia, KAS, Singapore.
