The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) has appointed veteran journalist and policy analyst Sadanand Dhume as a senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia. Based in New York, Dhume will join the organization’s David Rockefeller Studies Program to research political economy and foreign policy in a region currently recognized for its growing strategic importance in global affairs.
Who is Sadanand Dhume?
Sadanand Dhume brings a multidisciplinary background to his new role at the CFR. He is widely recognized for his expertise on South Asia, currently authoring the biweekly East Is East column for The Wall Street Journal, which tracks the region’s economic, political, and foreign policy trends. Before joining the CFR, Dhume served as a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. His career also includes experience as a foreign correspondent in India and Indonesia for the Far Eastern Economic Review and The Wall Street Journal Asia.
His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Delhi, a Master of Science in Journalism from Columbia Journalism School, and a Master of Public Affairs from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.
Why this appointment matters
The CFR is positioning Dhume’s work to bolster its analysis of diplomatic and economic shifts across South Asia. Shannon K. O’Neil, CFR Senior Vice President, stated, “Sadanand’s distinctive experience as a reporter and scholar covering South Asia will provide integral insight into this important and dynamic region and implications for U.S. foreign policy there.” By integrating Dhume’s background into the David Rockefeller Studies Program, the organization aims to deepen its understanding of how regional developments influence broader U.S. foreign policy goals.
What may happen next
As Dhume begins his tenure, his research is expected to contribute directly to the CFR’s ongoing analysis of the region. Given the strategic importance of South Asia, his work could influence how the think tank frames future policy recommendations regarding the political economy of India and Pakistan. Observers may expect his future outputs to reflect his established focus on the intersection of regional politics and international diplomacy, potentially providing new perspectives on the evolving geopolitical landscape in South Asia.
