S. D. Muni is Professor Emeritus of International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, and a leading scholar on South and Southeast Asian affairs. He has served as India’s Ambassador to Laos and has been a visiting professor at several universities and research institutes in India and abroad. His research focuses on India’s foreign policy, Asian regional security, China–India relations, and strategic as well as developmental issues in South and Southeast Asia. He has authored numerous scholarly works, books, and international articles, contributing significantly to the academic understanding of politics and international relations in the region.