Humanity is on the cusp of a new age in space, with the rapid development of technology including much cheaper, and reusable, launch vehicles and smaller, more versatile satellites. The ‘Space 2.0’ approach brings transformational …
In an article about the meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi in February, I shared the sentiment that Trump needed to allow his administration to prepare more …
Nuclear deterrence rests on the ability of strategic assets to survive an enemy’s first strike and to retaliate, ensuring mutually assured destruction. Nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarines (SSBNs) are considered to be the most survivable of all …
US President Donald Trump’s administration has shown little interest in public diplomacy. And yet this form of diplomacy—a government’s efforts to communicate directly with other countries’ publics—is one of the key instruments policymakers use to …
Sea state The Indian and French navies have begun the 17th iteration of their annual bilateral naval war exercise off Goa. Varuna 19.1/19.2 features two aircraft carriers, FNS Charles de Gaulle and INS Vikramaditya, plus …
Thailand is already almost halfway through its ASEAN chairmanship in what has been a rather low-profile period considering political developments. In the lead-up to Thailand’s elections on 24 March, the country’s political energy was directed inwards. …
Welcome to ‘The Strategist Six’, a feature that provides a glimpse into the thinking of prominent academics, government officials, military officers, reporters and interesting individuals from around the world. 1. It appears that the United …
Australia’s new South Pacific policy is set in place, no matter which side wins the election on 18 May. Labor and the Coalition entered the election with a unity ticket on Papua New Guinea, the …
The world It’s the end of an era in Japan—literally. This week, the 30-year Heisei Era came to an end with the abdication of Emperor Akihito, and the Reiwa Era began with his son Naruhito’s …
Australia faces a rapidly changing—and worsening—defence and security outlook that is increasingly at odds with the policy assumptions that underpinned the formulation of the 2016 defence white paper. That reality demands a rethink of our …
The second Belt and Road Forum, hosted by China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing last week, attracted 37 world leaders and delegates from 150 countries and 90 international organisations. There were also some conspicuous absences, …
Recent India–Pakistan border skirmishes have brought the dispute over Kashmir to the world’s attention once again. While the latest crisis has abated for now, the issue still festers and is likely to lead to more …