Silicon Valley’s ‘move fast and break things’ mantra might work in software. But when it comes to lithium, rare earths and other critical minerals, where development times average 10 to 15 years, breaking things isn’t …
Since 2018 the Australian government has made serious strides in countering espionage and foreign interference, including introducing policy and legislative reforms aimed at protecting the research and university sector. That was necessary. But seven years on, …
AUKUS is reshaping Australia’s strategic future, but its vision is incomplete. While the partnership’s first two pillars focus on submarines and advanced technologies, they rely on an often overlooked domain: space. If AUKUS is to …
Far from being a prospect for the distant future, the era of autonomous systems on (and off) the battlefield is here. Mass is back in warfare, not through much larger armies, but through growing numbers …
From grey zone coercion to regional surveillance competition, the Indo-Pacific is now in live contest. Yet our national innovation posture is not structured to mitigate emerging risks or leverage strategic possibilities. Innovation is now a …
Fostering people-to-people links between northern Australia and Indonesia could improve agricultural output in both countries. They share agri-environmental conditions, providing opportunities for enhanced partnership. Such an approach would also progress Australia’s underdeveloped economic ties with …
In an era of escalating strategic competition, the effectiveness of Australia’s government and national security apparatus hinges on its ability to use information with precision and agility. Yet, the very systems designed to protect sensitive …
Japan’s digital rise hinges on adopting hyperscale cloud computing without ceding strategic autonomy—a balance it has yet to strike. Japan’s hyperscale strategy must walk a tightrope—balancing the immense benefits of cloud infrastructure with the imperative …
In 1992, Paul Keating said, ‘Asia is where our future substantially lies’. Decades later, the rhetoric remains, but the follow-through is still lacking. Despite Australia’s pivot to the Indo-Pacific, our cultural competency is inhibiting our …
Donald Trump could be having his Mission Accomplished moment. He said in a nationally televised address Saturday night, ‘Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key …
In the words of Billie Eilish, ‘I’m in love with my future… can’t wait to meet her.’ But for Mount Isa and Australia, that future is being quietly dismantled. The closure of Glencore’s copper mine …
‘We’re having to reconsider Australia as a homeland from which we will conduct combat operations’, the chief of the defence force, Admiral David Johnston, surprised some listeners by saying at ASPI’s annual defence conference on …
Australia’s path to a sovereign, high-impact defence technology ecosystem will not start with quantum supremacy. It will start with deployable, verifiable systems that meet today’s threats. Against the backdrop of strategic contest in the Indo-Pacific, …
Beijing’s approach to economic coercion against Taiwan is less about brute force and more about baiting. While China has long threatened economic punishment to deter what it sees as separatist behaviour, the past several years …
The 22 June strike by the United States on Iran’s nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan risks replacing known quantities—monitored, visible sites—with a dangerous blind spot. Iran’s program may now shift into more inaccessible …
Understanding the unfolding geopolitical drama around Iran requires an understanding of its history. There is perhaps no better English language source for such a review than Abbas Amanat’s Iran: A Modern History, first published in …
In the wake of the US strikes on Iran, focus has shifted to how Tehran will respond. Its options range from direct attacks on US bases to exerting pressure on maritime trade through the Strait …
For more than a decade, commentators, analysts and industry have warned Australian governments about fuel vulnerability. Yet little has changed. Despite repeated reviews and rising geopolitical tensions, there has been little concrete action to strengthen …
The idea of South Korea developing nuclear weapons is reaching critical mass, if you’ll excuse the pun. Surveys show as much as 70 percent of the public now in favor. There has also been plenty …
Germany’s decision to permanently station a combat brigade in Lithuania is more than a military deployment. It’s a strategic signal that Berlin is finally ready to lead from the front. The foreign basing, which began …