DSTA aims to provide a platform for dialogue across disciplines by engaging political scientists, economists, environmentalists, philosophers, sociologists, lawyers, development professionals, scholars, as well as policy practitioners from across the world to share their research and collaborate on key transnational issues that are important for India and the world. It strives to bring together scholars and students from around the world to work on various topics of importance and explore the opportunities for engagement and networking on transnational issues. The focus areas of DSTA include diplomacy and foreign policy, defence and international security, global governance and multilateralism, human rights and environment, and global justice.