Opening of the 242e regional session in Beauvais
The 242nd regional session of the Institut des hautes études de défense nationale has opened in the Hauts-de-France region at the Préfecture de l'Oise in Beauvais. Over a four-week period, 45 students from a wide range of backgrounds will have the opportunity to explore the major strategic challenges of our time, find out how the armed forces operate and get to grips with national defence and security issues, through a programme combining visits to strategic sites, high-level lectures and group work.
Nicolas Roche: "Our country will always prefer a peaceful solution to armed force".
In an interview with IHEDN, Nicolas Roche, Secretary General of the French Ministry of Defence and National Security (SGDSN), details the process for updating the National Strategic Review, published on 14 July.
Transforming India's defence capabilities
This fact sheet looks at the contemporary transformation of India's defence apparatus. It begins by highlighting the constant increase in the country's military budgets and manpower, as well as the desire to develop a local defence industry. It then analyses some of the limits to the transformation underway, and concludes with the prospects for increased militarisation in Asia in the years ahead, in the context of a form of "security dilemma".
The Kashmir conflict
This fact sheet looks at the continuing conflict between India and Pakistan over control of Kashmir. It begins by reviewing the history of tensions around the geographical area, analyses some of the likely causes of the recent renewal of hostilities, and then concludes by looking at how the confrontation is likely to evolve in the years ahead.
France's space power: assets to become a driving force once again
In a detailed report published this summer, the Institut Montaigne takes stock of the weaknesses and "exceptional expertise" of France and Europe in this area, and makes recommendations for "restoring a truly strategic ambition for space". Interview with its authors, Arthur Sauzay and Raphaël Tavanti.
Ink and weapons: 4000 years of war literature
The final instalment in our summer series on the theme of "Culture and Defence": a long-standing marriage between these two fields, literature offers an introspective immersion into the daily lives of soldiers and the violence of battle. Here is a selection of masterpieces from across the ages.
Comic strips: the perfect medium for military stories
The first episode of our summer series "Athena on the beach" 2025 on the theme of "Culture and defence": for over a century, comic books and bubbles have gone hand in hand with battlefields and heroism. A look back at the history of a rapidly expanding cultural sector with Arnauld Chéreil de la Rivière, a general officer with a passion for the genre.
American power, war in the age of AI, nuclear deterrence... a look back at a year of strategic debates
These monthly IHEDN conferences are an opportunity for the author of a recent work in the field of defence and security to highlight the main contributions of his or her work and to enrich reflection on current international affairs.
IHEDN auditors' association presidents' day: between transmission and commitment
Meeting in Paris, the presidents of the auditors' associations of the Institut des hautes études de défense nationale shared a day dedicated to cohesion and the spirit of defence, as Union-IHEDN celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Committee work, IHEDN's contribution to the national strategy
A cornerstone of the Institute's educational approach, this analysis and forward-looking work by auditors on targeted issues results in reports submitted to the authorities, who can take up the recommendations. Here are five examples from the last national session.
