On 26th and 27th November 2025, ORCA’s Director, Ms. Eerishika Pankaj, represented the Organisation for Research on China and Asia (ORCA) at the Lancaster Defence and Security Dialogue. The Dialogue is a flagship event organised by the Centre for War and Diplomacy, a Lancaster University–based think tank. It convened leading academics, analysts, and policymakers to examine the expansion and global implications of China’s maritime power, with particular emphasis on its relevance for UK security.
As part of the Dialogue, Ms. Pankaj participated in a closed-door roundtable on Day 1 and a simulation exercise on Day 2. She also took part in a public roundtable discussion titled “China’s Sea Power and UK Security,” held on 26 November at The Storey, Meeting House Lane, Lancaster. The discussion explored the impact of China’s growing maritime capabilities on global sea lines of communication, trade networks, and international security, while assessing how the UK can and should respond through the development and deployment of its own maritime assets and naval capabilities.