Christopher Clary

International Affairs Fellow in India

Christopher Clary is a country director for South Asian affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He previously served as a research associate in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School, where he worked extensively on studies examining the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2001–2002 India-Pakistan military standoff. He received a BA from Wichita State University and an MA from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. Mr. Clary began his tenure in January 2009 at the Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses, where he is examining the processes of Indian decision-making, the people who fill national security institutions, and the strengths and weaknesses of the national security system as a whole.

China

China’s Environmental Crisis
China’s mounting environmental crisis is endangering the pace of its economic growth and threatening the legitimacy of the ruling party.

Backgrounder by Eleanor Albert and Beina Xu February 12, 2025

Trade

What Are Tariffs?
President Donald Trump has begun his second term with a raft of tariff threats to bolster his immigration priorities, support local industries, and compete with China. Here’s how these taxes work and how they’ve been used historically.  

Backgrounder by Anshu Siripurapu and Noah Berman February 3, 2025 Renewing America

Health

What Is the FDA’s Role in Public Health?
The U.S. health agency regulates the country’s foods and drugs, among other products. With the FDA’s role in drug development and nutrition policy and its COVID-19 pandemic response driving controversy, President Donald Trump is set to shake up its leadership.  

Backgrounder by Mariel Ferragamo and Claire Klobucista January 27, 2025

Top Stories on CFR

Foreign Policy

The Mood in Munich
A dispatch from the Munich Security Conference, where dark clouds hovered over the discussions on Europe’s security and recent events in Germany. The war in Ukraine dominated, with uncertainty about the U.S. role and Trump’s approach. Topics like climate change and AI also took center stage.

Article by Michael Froman February 14, 2025

China Strategy Initiative

India, the United States and the Future of the International Trade Order
India has enjoyed bipartisan support in the U.S. as a critical economic counterbalance to China, but the United States still has a tenuous grasp on its interests. In this series, three experts examine India’s position on digital trade, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and industrial policy.

Article by Manjari Chatterjee Miller February 10, 2025 China Strategy Initiative

Space

Securing Space: A Plan for U.S. Action
As outer space becomes more congested with debris and international tensions escalate, the threat to U.S. national security grows. The United States must act now to reassert its leadership and create pathways for management in this critical strategic domain.

Task Force Report by Nina M. Armagno, Jane Harman, Esther Brimmer and Anya Schmemann February 11, 2025