News

Dialogue | Episode 43: South Asia’s Strategic Forge

Unpacking South Asia’s strategic realignment: India’s choices, Pakistan’s pivots, and the rising defense ambitions across the region. This episode explores how the U.S. can engage smartly, foster industrial cooperation, and secure its interests amid intensifying great power competition.

Karakoa Forum Launched in Manila

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of National Defense (DND) and the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP) hosted a two-day Karakoa Forum in Manila on April 25 and 28, 2025, in partnership with the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS). A team of five DKI APCSS faculty members — Dr. Ginnie Watson, Professor Mike Burgoyne, Dr. Sam Mullins, Col. Matt Kent, and Maj. Kyle Brown — traveled to the Philippines at the invitation of the government to support the launch of the inaugural forum.

Regional Tensions Emerge as Bangladesh Moves Closer to Pakistan, Explored in new Security Nexus Paper

A new Security Nexus perspective by Dr. Srini Sitaraman (DKI APCSS) and Ms. Anuttama Banerji (National Maritime Foundation) examines the rapid political and strategic realignment in South Asia following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh. Titled “India-Bangladesh Water Issues Reappear as Bangladesh-Pakistan Relations Rapidly Progress,” the paper explores the implications of renewed Pakistan-Bangladesh ties—including defense cooperation and trade—on India’s regional influence and water-sharing disputes.

Security Nexus Perspective Warns of Growing Risk in the Eastern Himalayas

Security Nexus perspective, “Where Maps Blur and Rivers Speak: China, India, and the Contest for the Eastern Himalayas,” by Shyam Tekwani, explores a rising flashpoint in South Asia where geopolitics, geography, and water security converge. As India suspends the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, this piece shifts focus eastward to the tri-junction of India, China, and Bhutan—a region marked by contested borders, spiritual significance, and increasingly fragile stability. Tekwani highlights the strategic importance of Arunachal Pradesh, where infrastructure build-up, unresolved territorial claims, and water disputes heighten the risk of conflict without warning or reliable de-escalation mechanisms.

  • UN peacekeeper viewing a holographic map with real-time data in a command center.

Security Nexus Perspective Analyzes the Role and Risks of AI in Peacekeeping Operations

A Security Nexus perspective, “Artificial Intelligence in Contemporary Peacekeeping Operations,” by Munkh-Orgil Tuvdendarjaa, explores how AI is reshaping UN peacekeeping through tools like predictive modeling and real-time threat detection, as seen in missions such as MONUSCO. While AI enhances situational awareness and resource planning, the article highlights major challenges—including [...]

The stories posted here are only excerpts. Please go to our website to read the full articles.
apcss.org/latest-news