Geopolitics
Geopolitics examines how geography, power, and strategy shape international relations and global competition. Learning more about it today is crucial, as shifting alliances, resource rivalries, and regional conflicts directly affect security, economies, and daily life worldwide.
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The South China Sea Imbroglio
Abstract: As a rising military and economic superpower, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has sought to assert its hegemony with gunboat and “Wolf-warrior” diplomacy, exemplified by the South China Sea (SCS) dispute. Numerous Southeast Asian (SEA) states perceive the PRC as having upended the regional security architecture and have sought to restrain it through… Read more →
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Public Diplomacy or Information Warfare? Russia’s Strategic Communication in Georgia
Abstract: Through its promotion and dissemination of disinformation, Russia’s practice of public diplomacy forms a close nexus with information warfare. While Russia no doubt seeks to win the hearts and minds of foreign state publics, its strategic aim in doing so is not to build sincere two-way cultural bridges but rather to subvert the target… Read more →
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Can NATO Contain Türkiye’s Ideological Expansion?
Abstract: Türkiye’s geopolitical stance is evolving, particularly due to its embrace of Neo-Ottomanism. It potentially causes repercussions within the NATO alliance and could affect the Balkans. Several symbolic actions, like the reconversion of Hagia Sophia, Türkiye’s reluctance towards Sweden’s NATO application, and Erdogan’s nationalist rhetoric, seem to signify a pivot towards Neo-Ottomanism. Problem statement: How… Read more →
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Through Audacity And Arms: How Europe Can Restrain Russia
Abstract: The global West, and Europe in particular, are beset by the consequences of self-doubt and the vagaries of the peace dividend. These manifest in Russian intransigence and the less-than-resolute response to Russian aggression in Ukraine. However, this need not be the case. Russia has been emboldened to act recklessly because it seems that nobody… Read more →
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India’s Soft Power Success In Light Of Her G-20 Presidency
Abstract: India’s G20 Presidency in 2023 is not coincidental and not merely a routine one. Despite hurdles and obstacles, India was able to milk the success through exquisite hosting and efficient diplomacy. This presidential term was also pivotal in enhancing India’s image and credibility as a great power to the rest of the world. Beyond… Read more →
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India and Asian Geopolitics
The Past, Present Shiv Shankar Menon, (Place of publication: Brookings Institution Press, 2021). 416 pp. Amidst the geopolitical turmoil in Asia and beyond, India must carefully reconsider its past and present to brace itself for new future challenges. Case in point, the former foreign secretary and National Security Advisor, Shiv Shankar Menon, published a dispassionate… Read more →
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Deterring A Chinese Invasion Of Taiwan
Abstract: This paper seeks to discern, deter, and defeat hostile Chinese intentions in the Taiwan Strait. The existing literature tends to be constrained by an overreliance on military and/or historical myopia. Therefore, such means will be supplemented by a multifaceted approach. The elements of strategy and strategy itself will be subsumed under the aegis of… Read more →
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Island Dynamics: Turmoil And Diplomacy In The Maldives, Lakshadweep, And India
Abstract: The Maldives, a sought-after tourist destination, recently faced significant backlash as Indian tourists, constituting 11% of its market, boycotted the archipelagic nation following derogatory remarks about Indian PM Narendra Modi and Indian culture by three deputy ministers of President Mohamed Muizzu’s administration. Subsequently, influential figures, including cricketers and Bollywood actors, have redirected the irked… Read more →
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Grand Strategic Biases and Polarity
Abstract: Cognitive biases do not necessarily impact a single decision but can be rooted in national (civilisational) strategic thinking. Biased strategic thinking can lead to misguided strategies drawing on different international system configurations, thus giving rise to the pursuit of unrealistic goals or the underestimation of security threats. A vivid example of such biased views of… Read more →
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Taiwan: An Inconvenient Truth But Inevitable Conflict?
Abstract: Amidst a meteoric rise to power in the political-economic domains, China has ramped up aggressive nationalist overtures regarding reunification with Taiwan. While this provides a basis for an (likely) invasion, China’s dominant role in supranational bodies gives it an unprecedented geoeconomic advantage and impetus. This is further augmented by China’s Belt and Road Initiative… Read more →
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