Over the past decade, India's Act East Policy has shifted from occasional interaction to a steady, institutionalized presence across Southeast Asia and Oceania. This monograph argues that by prioritizing normative alignment, maritime security, and collaborative partnerships over coercive power, India has solidified its standing as a credible regional stakeholder. Future success depends on deepening functional cooperation and improving project execution to translate this established influence into long-term strategic relevance and regional stability.
This paper examines education as a realist tool for soft power in West and East Asia, responding to Jane Knight’s call for regionalisation research. Challenging her liberal vision of knowledge diplomacy, it argues that states leverage higher education to navigate power struggles, counter external influence, and secure national interests. Historical and contemporary examples reveal education’s unpredictable outcomes, necessitating state learning from successful models. While complementing hard and economic power, education’s ideological divides, notably China’s non-liberal norms, fuel regional rivalry, risking instability. Asian states, including India, can strategically use education to enhance security and influence in a competitive global order.
The UAE’s exit from OPEC and OPEC+ signals a transformation in global energy governance, driven by competing interests and the securitisation of energy.
The removal of senior military commanders by the Trump administration has raised questions about the balance between civilian authority and professional military advice.
