For over three decades, Beijing has deployed an initially slow but now accelerating campaign to degrade Philippine maritime rights and access in the West Philippine Sea. This long-term effort has been characterized by often seemingly benign actions and even conciliatory rhetoric interspersed with escalatory words and deeds designed to test the thresholds of neighbors and allies. Today, China’s rising aggression […]

Terrorism poses a persistent and significant threat in Indonesia, with several extremist groups, including those sympathetic to ISIS, challenging national security. The government has taken legislative measures and implemented de-radicalization initiatives to combat terrorism. However, the ongoing presence of terrorists raises doubts about the effectiveness of these policies. This article critically evaluates the Indonesian government’s approach to terrorism, with a […]

After record rapid urbanization, China is moving to the next stage with integrated and coordinated multi-city clusters. The Yangtze River Delta region is a case in point. Last November, Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired a Shanghai symposium on advancing the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD). Half a decade before, he had championed the initiative that made the […]

C’est la saison des grandes manœuvres. Manœuvres politiques, manœuvres économiques. Et surtout, des manœuvres stratégiques et militaires. Parce que tous les pays du monde sont en train de se positionner dans la perspective du nouveau risque global. De ce que, pour simplifier, nous pourrions appeler ces manœuvres la troisième (ou la quatrième) guerre mondiale. Car c’est bien de cela qu’il […]

In The Rise of the Anglo-German Antagonism, 1860–1914, the British historian Paul Kennedy explained how two traditionally friendly peoples ended up in a downward spiral of mutual hostility that led to World War I. Major structural forces drove the competition between Germany and Britain: economic imperatives, geography, and ideology. Germany’s rapid economic rise shifted the balance of power and enabled […]

Despite growing unemployment and a significant increase in the number of billionaires, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have won a third term in government. While the government trumpets about its economic achievements, growing wealth disparities and persistent unemployment put doubt on Modi’s narrative of broad prosperity. In a nation of stark differences, Mukesh Ambani, India’s […]

Despite efforts and the slogan “Teesri Baar Modi Sarkar” for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP secured 240 seats, forming a coalition government with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) totalling 293 seats. This result was a major electoral setback as the poll survey had projected a larger majority for BJP. Modi was sworn in for his third term as […]

India often boasts of its progress and strength on the global stage, but behind this facade lies a darker reality for the state of Punjab. The release of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) manifesto brings to light the deep-seated issues that have long plagued Punjab’s relationship with the Indian state. Beyond the political rhetoric, the manifesto serves as a stark […]

Although there are potential security and economic benefits for Moscow to be gained from closer ties to Afghanistan, they will be difficult to achieve. Ahead of this year’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum—which has been attended by a Taliban delegation since 2022—the Kremlin handed a PR victory to the rulers of Afghanistan. The Russian foreign and justice ministries submitted a […]

Exploring the military and security links of China’s universities. What’s the problem? The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is building links between China’s civilian universities, military and security agencies. Those efforts, carried out under a policy of leveraging the civilian sector to maximise military power (known as ‘military–civil fusion’), have accelerated in the past decade. Research for the China Defence Universities […]