Former diplomat and analyst for the Australian intelligence services, Professor Medcalf has been prominent in developing Australia’s relations with India.  He has been recognised as an influential thinker internationally for his work on the Indo-Pacific concept of the Asian strategic environment, as articulated in his 2020 book Contest for the Indo-Pacific (released internationally as Indo-Pacific Empire).

This meeting is part of IRSEM's mission to exchange with the academic community and foreign institutions in order to enrich and broaden the public debate on defense and security issues.