Dr. Nihar R. Nayak is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science, University of Delhi. He served as a Research Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), New Delhi. He holds an M.Phil. and Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru University and a Master's degree from Delhi University. Dr. Nayak specializes in International Relations, with a focus on Nepal, Left-wing extremism, small arms, conflict management, and cooperative security in South Asia. He is a founding member of the Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict. Dr. Nayak has authored and edited key publications, including "Nepal: The Making of an Inclusive Constitution" (Pentagon, 2025), Political Changes in Nepal and Bhutan (Pentagon, 2021), Strategic Himalayas: Republican Nepal and External Powers (Pentagon, 2014), and Cooperative Security Framework for South Asia (2013).