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Comments and Briefs

The Mecca Pact: A Middle-Power Coalition amid Turbulent Transition in West Asia

The Mecca Joint Deterrence Agreement among Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye reflects a broader shift towards region-led security architecture in West Asia.

Deepika Saraswat

Issue Brief

September 01, 2026

Diversification of the Philippines’ Strategic Partnerships

Manila is deepening its defence and security cooperation with like-minded countries such as India, Japan and Australia.

Simran Walia

Issue Brief

August 31, 2026

PM Modi Travels to Central Asia: A Welcome Move

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits to Bishkek and Tashkent will invigorate India’s bilateral and regional ties with Central Asian countries.

Ashok Sajjanhar

Issue Brief

August 27, 2026

Data on a Beam of Light: Li-Fi and India’s Military Communications

Light-Fidelity (Li-Fi) is an important element of India's transition to a resilient, networked and spectrum-aware force.

Anamika Choudhary

Issue Brief

August 25, 2026

Assessing Japan’s 2026 Defence White Paper

The Defense of Japan 2026 White Paper underscores Japan’s perception of security threats but leaves open questions about policy independence from the US.

Arnab Dasgupta

Issue Brief

August 21, 2026

PMF and Iraq’s Foreign-Policy Autonomy

The Popular Mobilisation Forces factions are the reason Iraq’s neutrality in the US–Israel wars on Iran has proved so fragile.

Aquib Mohd. Khan

Issue Brief

August 21, 2026

Assessing Amnesty’s Claims on India–Israel Arms Transfers

Amnesty International does not assess India’s arms transfer to Israel with sufficient precision in terms of causation and legal responsibility.

Rahul Wankhede

Issue Brief

August 20, 2026

The Unravelling of the Hybrid Regime in Pakistan

The hybrid regime in Pakistan appears to be unravelling due to a deteriorating internal security situation and growing societal unease.

Ashish Shukla

Issue Brief

August 19, 2026

Building, Not Buying: India’s HALEU Decision

The only high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) India will be able to rely upon is HALEU it has built, or has deliberately preserved the capacity to build.

Kavya Wadhwa

Issue Brief

August 17, 2026

History and Future of Japan’s Landmark Intelligence Reforms

Japan’s recent intelligence reforms complement its evolving security strategy, but historical concerns and questions regarding capabilities and political influence need attention.

Arnab Dasgupta

Issue Brief

August 13, 2026

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West Asia War Analyses

Deteriorating GCC–Iran Relations amid Renewed Tensions in West Asia

As regional tensions persist, GCC–Iran relations are entering a period of heightened uncertainty and strategic recalibration.

Prasanta Kumar Pradhan

June 11, 2026

UAE’s Exit from OPEC and OPEC+: Strategic Drivers

The UAE’s exit from OPEC and OPEC+ signals a transformation in global energy governance, driven by competing interests and the securitisation of energy.

Saman Ayesha Kidwai

May 05, 2026

Pakistan’s Mediation in the West Asia Crisis: Strategic Survival and Diplomatic Utility

Pakistan’s attempt to mediate in the 2026 West Asia crisis should be understood primarily as a strategy of geopolitical survival through diplomatic utility.

Lauren Dagan Amoss

April 15, 2026

US Weapons Sales to West Asia amidst the Iran War

The challenge for the US defence industrial base will be to meet the increased demands of allies in conflict zones for critical high-end defence equipment.

S. Samuel C. Rajiv

April 13, 2026

China and the Iran Crisis

In the Iran crisis, a major strategic objective for Beijing was to frame itself as a ‘stabilising’ power, in contrast to Washington’s disruptive interventions.

Mayuri Banerjee

April 13, 2026

Japan and the Iran Crisis

In the wake of the West Asian crisis, the challenge for Japan, a US ally, is to maintain strategic autonomy given its energy dependencies on the region.

Simran Walia

April 09, 2026

Ankara’s Perspective on the US–Israel War on Iran

In the wake of the US–Israel war on Iran, Ankara’s strategic space is narrowing due to conflict escalation, energy disruptions and renewed uncertainties relating to the Kurdish question.

Abhishek Yadav

April 07, 2026