DSI Priority Areas
DSI currently works across three key policy priority areas – working to develop concrete policy recommendations and advance strategic debates across all three within Germany and across the democratic world.
Emerging Defence
DSI is dedicated to developing a “European way of war”, which focuses on readying Europe to be able defeat – and thus deter – a Russian attack in the short term and to thrive amid long-term geopolitical competition. This approach prioritises emerging defence technologies that will allow Europe to play to its strengths in research and innovation – rather than engage in rearmament on Russia’s terms. DSI’s analysis holds that Europe would lose against Russia if it chose to rearm on Russia’s terms – given that European manufacturing of legacy platforms is too slow, and not available in the needed quantities.
DSI’s flagship Emerging Defence Technology report Emerging Defence: Offset and Competitive Strategies for Europe, provides the main research base for current work in this area.
Economic Statecraft
DSI works to help democratic societies marshal all their sources of power to advance their values and achieve strategic objectives. Economic power is essential for this, as economic prosperity is the backbone of free, secure and open societies that are strong enough to defend themselves against authoritarian regimes, not only militarily but also with resilient supply chains, infrastructure and industrial bases – and the capability of financial deterrence.
DSI’s work in this area includes its work to advance the case for seizing Russia’s frozen central bank reserves – having spearheaded key appeals in this area – and advancing the case for closer economic cooperation among democracies – or “friendshoring”.
Homeland Security
Authoritarian states increasingly use so-called “hybrid” attacks to test western resolve, gather intelligence in response times, and undermine the ability of democratic states to respond to threats. Assets specifically designed for certain types of attacks – such as cutting undersea cables – already exist. Disinformation campaigns, cyber attacks on public and private infrastructure and data systems, and election manipulation have become common threats to our liberal democracies that need to be taken seriously.
DSI’s work in this area centres on boosting resilience and developing responses to information war and attacks on critical infrastructure and in cyberspace.