Southeast Asia, a region known for its diverse cultures, vibrant economies, and strategic geopolitical location, faces a multitude of security challenges in 2024. These issues range from territorial disputes and terrorism to cyber security threats, transnational crimes, political instability, natural disasters, climate change, regional rivalries, militarization, arms proliferation, and public health security concerns. The interconnected nature of these challenges necessitates […]

China’s recently increased maritime and aerial operations near the Philippines, Japan, and Taiwan is part of Beijing’s attempt to gauge the United States’ commitment to supporting allies in the Indo-Pacific region, say analysts. They noted the increased activity comes as Tokyo and Washington gear up for elections in the coming weeks. “China sees an opportunity to test the United States’ […]

On 16 May 2024, Cambodia and South Korea agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a “strategic partnership” during Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet’s official visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK). This strategic partnership, part of Cambodia’s hedging strategy, will enable the country to diversify its foreign relations whilst balancing its engagement with major powers. This article highlights how […]

The recent remarks made by Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, warning of a potential 9/11-style attack originating from Afghan soil, have sparked significant controversy and debate. The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs swiftly dismissed these claims, labeling them as misleading and unfounded. In a statement, the Taliban suggested that the likelihood of such an attack emanating from Afghanistan is minimal […]

In the early morning of August 26, 2024, at least 23 Punjabi travellers were killed in the Rarasham area of Musakhail District in Balochistan when cadres of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) offloaded passengers from trucks and buses and shot at them after checking their identities. According to Musakhail Assistant Commissioner Najeeb Kakar, armed men blocked the inter-provincial highway in the […]

On August 29, 2024, three alleged Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres were killed in an anti-Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE] operation carried out by the Security Forces (SFs) in the Narayanpur District of the Bastar division of Chhattisgarh. After the firing stopped and a search was carried out around the encounter site, bodies of three uniformed female Maoists, .303 […]

Opposition battlefield gains are not just a military setback for the junta, but an important economic blow that is compounding their already dire fiscal straits – something China should ponder as it moves to bail out the military regime in Myanmar. The junta’s egregious economic mismanagement had been a greater threat to their rule than any potential military challenge, until […]

The United Nations Security Council said in a recent report that there is some division among its members over how to deal with the situation in Afghanistan. The Security Council’s September 2024 Monthly Forecast report stated: “While Council members are generally united in their desire to see a prosperous, peaceful Afghanistan free from terrorism and ruled by an inclusive government, […]

Why U.S. Allies in the Region Are Turning Toward China The United States has recently been touting its “convergence” with Asian partners. At the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in June, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin titled his remarks the “New Convergence in the Indo-Pacific.”At the Brookings Institution the following month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken maintained that […]

Balochistan: Spiralling retaliation In the early morning of August 26, 2024, at least 23 Punjabi travellers were killed in the Rarasham area of Musakhail District in Balochistan when cadres of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) offloaded passengers from trucks and buses and shot at them after checking their identities. According to Musakhail Assistant Commissioner Najeeb Kakar, armed men blocked the inter-provincial […]