The Indian Century Roundtable is an organisation dedicated to providing detailed, unbiased insights into India and its liberal democratic institutions.
We aspire to be Australia's most trusted source of information about India.
About the Indian Century Roundtable
As India grows in economic and strategic importance, Australia needs objective information on the country and its institutions. The Indian Century Roundtable provides that information on a "facts not feelings" basis.
We seek to:
Advance Australia’s understanding of India through rigorous research.
Convene conversations about India and the Australia-India relationship.
Ensure that Australian perceptions of India match India’s reality.
“If there is to be a leader of the free world in 50 or 100 years time, it’s likely to be India.”
– The Hon Tony Abbott AC, former Prime Minister of Australia
Meet the Team
-
Maurice Newman AC
Chairman
#fhtogglels/Read More/Read Less/ib
Maurice Newman AC is the former Chairman of Deutsche Bank Australia & New Zealand, Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), and Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and Chancellor of Macquarie University. His career spans over 50 years in stockbroking and investment banking. Dr Newman has chaired a number of Asian business alliances and has been an adviser to Australian governments, State and Federal.
-
Salvatore Babones
Executive Director
#fhtogglels/Read More/Read Less/ib
Salvatore Babones is a quantitative comparative sociologist whose most recent book is Dharma Democracy: How India Built the Third World’s First Democracy. In the past he has published on economic development in post-socialist transition economies and quantitative methods for cross-national comparisons. He earned his MS (statistics) and PhD (sociology) from the Johns Hopkins University.
-
Vikram K. Malkani
Associate Director
#fhtogglels/Read More/Read Less/ib
Vikram K. Malkani has been a technology professional with over three decades of experience across a variety of roles in India’s information technology industry, with nearly two decades spent working for one of Australia’s largest banks. He is passionate about gathering data from diverse sources and analysing it to gain insights into India's socioeconomic development. His articles and research have been published in India and internationally.
“No nation will impact Australia's security or prosperity in the 21st Century more than India.”
– The Hon Dr Andrew Charlton MP, Chair of the Australian Parliamentary Friends of India
Recently Published Research Papers
Core Areas of Research
1
Democracy: Analyses of India's international democracy rankings
2
Freedom: Research into press and religious freedom in India
3
Reform: Research into economic and institutional reform
4
Security: Objective insights into internal security and military affairs
Forthcoming research papers funded by donations to the ICR
Understanding the Basic Structure Doctrine
In 1973 the Supreme Court of India narrowly arrogated to itself the authority to reject constitutional amendments on the basis that they violate the “basic structure” of the Constitution. Does this doctrine support democracy? Or undermine it?
A Primer on the Status of Jammu & Kashmir
The status of Jammu and Kashmir, always a fraught topic, has catapulted onto the world’s front pages in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam massacre. Our primer will recount the facts on J&K without favor to any side.