The Pathfinder Foundation

The Pathfinder Foundation and the Organisation for Research on China and Asia (ORCA), a New Delhi-based think tank, have formalised a partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The Pathfinder Foundation is an independent, non-partisan research and advocacy think tank in Sri Lanka, founded in 2008. It focuses on policy-oriented research, economic reform, strategic affairs, ocean-related studies, and regional cooperation, while serving as a platform for dialogue at local, regional, and international levels. ORCA is a research initiative of ORCASIA (OPC) Private Limited, dedicated to policy-relevant research and dialogue on China and the wider Asian region, focusing on geopolitics, geoeconomics, and strategic affairs.

Pathfinder Foundation has established a network of more than a dozen Indian think tanks and academic institutions, and a similar number of institutions in China.

The latest collaboration with ORCA aims to enhance academic dialogue and research cooperation in International Relations and China Studies. The partnership will focus on promoting joint research initiatives, facilitating conferences, and strengthening knowledge exchange between the two institutions. The agreement further provides a framework for collaborative publications and cross-institutional academic engagements.

The MoU was signed by Ms. Eerishika Pankaj, Director of ORCA, and Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman of the Pathfinder Foundation, marking a significant step towards promoting regional intellectual collaboration and policy-relevant research.

Both institutions expressed their commitment to building a sustained and mutually beneficial partnership that contributes to informed policy discourse and deeper regional understanding.