Why is minilateralism viewed as the normative security model by states in the Indo-Pacific? What challenges can multilateralism face within the region, and how can minilateralism circumvent them? In this article, Karissa Cruz highlights why the postcolonial context from which much of the region emerged can create limits for NATO-style security cooperation, and why minilateralism has emerged as the primary framework.
Narayan Srivastava examines Japan’s sharp rightward turn and what it means for NATO and Indo-Pacific stability. As Japan’s long-standing political restraint gives way to nationalism and strategic assertiveness, Tokyo is reshaping regional deterrence, alliance politics, and debates over democracy and security. This article explores how a more polarized Japan strengthens collective defence while also introducing new risks of escalation in international security raising questions for NATO partners and Canada as they navigate an increasingly volatile Indo-Pacific order.
Narayan Srivastava examines Nepal’s 2025 political upheaval as a warning signal for democracies worldwide.From a sweeping social-media ban to youth-led protests that brought down a government, Nepal reveals how digital connectivity, declining trust in institutions, and demographic pressures are reshaping political power. This article situates Nepal within a broader global pattern from South Asia to Europe where digitally mobilized citizens are challenging elite governance structures. The piece argues that these movements are less about ideology and more about systemic failure, offering critical lessons for democratic resilience, international security, and the future of governance in the digital age.
Alexander Morrow and Nataliia Dikalchuk explain why Ukraine’s fight matters far beyond Europe. The war is reframing deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, prompting Taiwan to prioritize self-reliant defence and pushing China to reassess Western unity. Their analysis highlights how democratic resilience in one region shapes security calculations in another.
What implications does domestic Philippine politics pose for foreign policy for NATO members? In this article, Karissa Cruz highlights the broader implications posed by the Duterte-Marcos feud over foreign policy direction, what it means for NATO, and how members should perceive these tensions amidst the heightened aggression by China.
What lessons can NATO members learn from the United Kingdom and India’s growing strategic partnership? In this article, Angus MacKellar discusses how London has strengthened its relationship with New Delhi whilst avoiding broader geopolitical commitments in an increasingly fractious South Asian security environment, underlining how India’s position and interests make flexible NATO engagement both feasible and valuable.
What role can NATO play in addressing grey zone coercion in the Indo-Pacific? In this article, Joel Sawyer explores how the Alliance can strengthen regional pre-conflict deterrence and preparedness to reduce the effectiveness of coercive grey zone operations, actions, and activities.
As US-China rivalry escalates, China’s new export curbs on rare earths have exposed NATO’s dangerous dependence on external suppliers for the minerals underpinning its defence industries. Daniel Lincoln argues that the Alliance must develop a unified industrial strategy to secure access to critical materials, independent of both Washington and Beijing. By building diversified supply chains, joint stockpiles, and integrated processing capacity, he contends that NATO can turn resource vulnerability into strategic resilience.
In this article, Narayan Srivastava examines how China’s accelerating push into deep-
sea mineral partnerships across the Cook Islands, Kiribati, and Tonga is reshaping the
South Pacific’s strategic balance. The article also highlights emerging vulnerabilities for
Canada and NATO in critical mineral supply chains. The piece evaluates how Pacific
resource politics now intersect with broader questions of regional dependence, maritime influence, and great-power competition.
In “China’s Calculated Partnerships: Decoding Beijing’s Alignment with Russia and NATO’s Strategic Response,” Daniel Lincoln argues that Beijing’s support for Moscow stems from insecurity, not ideology, and that misreading this dynamic risks hardening a fragile partnership. The piece calls for a strategy of restraint and engagement – one that deters aggression while offering China reasons to distance itself from the Kremlin.