"This agreement is less a stabilising alliance than a strategic gamble — one that risks drawing Pakistan into conflicts beyond its capacity while further complicating the already turbulent geopolitical landscape of South Asia and the Middle East" www.9dashline.com/article/saud... | by Imran Khurshid

"Without institutional mechanisms that both parties accept as legitimate and binding, border disputes remain vulnerable to escalation and external intervention whenever domestic political pressures or regional tensions rise" www.9dashline.com/article/five... | by Chhay Lim and Chandarith Neak

"These commemorations are not merely symbolic; they are integral to a broader campaign to cultivate national resolve, readiness, and loyalty to both party and state" www.9dashline.com/article/vict... | by Vincent K. L. Chang.

The Navigator’s September issue - out now This month we spotlight Beijing’s use of Martyrs’ Day as a tool of loyalty & resolve, and how domestic instability across the Indo-Pacific is constraining states amid intensifying great power rivalry. Read here: substack.com/home/post/p-... Subscribe now!

"Without CBRs, Pacific Islands face reduced financial inclusion and slower development. For the US, it risks pushing the region toward central bank digital currencies and de-dollarisation; a trend that could weaken US financial influence" www.9dashline.com/article/navi... | by Jemima Holborow

New episode 🎙️ In conjunction with the European Parliament in ASEAN Stefania Benaglia joins @zsuzsettte.bsky.social and @richheydarian.bsky.social to discuss the recent SCO summit, focusing on India’s strategic role and evolving EU–ASEAN dynamics. Listen here 🎧 open.spotify.com/episode/6FCy...

"Ultimately, what Italy’s engagement with Malaysia demonstrates is that European middle powers can establish themselves as credible partners if they play to their strengths" www.9dashline.com/article/ital... | by Emanuele Ballestracci

"Perhaps counter-intuitively, only an approach less concerned with morals and more with pragmatic engagement can pave the way for the EU to spread its values in the Indo-Pacific" www.9dashline.com/article/the-... | by Angelo M'BA

"While dealing with the military-backed government may assist Trump in reaching short-term agreements, constant disorder and popular uprisings will make it impossible for the benefits of such agreements to ever be felt." www.9dashline.com/article/trum... | by Marcus Andreopoulos

The Navigator’s August issue is out now. This month we spotlight India’s growing partnership with the Philippines on maritime cooperation, and New Zealand’s growing role in space. Plus, our roundup of regional developments. Read here: 9dashline.substack.com/p/the-naviga... Subscribe now!

"The ball now is in China’s court, forcing it to consider how aggressive maritime postures invite collective action by less-powerful adversaries who bridge and compound their military capacities" shorturl.at/rAMkB | by Eerishika Pankaj and Rahul Karan Reddy

"By expanding its presence in northern Myanmar, China not only reinforces its dominant position in the global REE supply chain but also strengthens its capacity to use REEs as geopolitical leverage at the negotiating table — both as a carrot and a stick" shorturl.at/JFTSF | by Ophelia Yumlembam

"Korea and Japan now have an opportunity to redefine their roles — not as competing spokes but as co-architects of a trilateral framework that can anchor stability in the Indo-Pacific" shorturl.at/z2AbM | by Yun Kyung Kim

"Global digital finance will also increasingly become entangled with broader structures of major power competition, particularly in the Indo-Pacific" shorturl.at/lxi3S | by Andrew Gordan

"Non-ratification of the EEZ agreement to appease Chinese preferences would amount to de facto recognition of the Nine-Dash Line claim" shorturl.at/28395 | by John Bradford and Aristyo R. Darmawan.

"India’s position as a global leader on climate adaptation and sustainable development, especially as the voice of the global south, could be undermined by any perception of using water coercively" shorturl.at/bNjfm | by @faamer.bsky.social

"Japan and other US allies must strengthen ties with Southeast Asian countries to address US retrenchment, positioning themselves as credible alternatives for countries seeking to avoid over-reliance on China" shorturl.at/C9Kz5 by Shin Kawashima.

The July issue of The Navigator — out now We spotlight Taiwan’s sweeping drone drive — a bold pivot toward self-reliance and deterrence — alongside our roundup of Indo-Pacific shifts, from AUKUS to regional tensions and sovereignty debates shorturl.at/Dc2UY Subscribe now!

"For Europe to help Taiwan significantly scale its drone production capacity, and to de-risk its own drone supply chains, the EU should make Taiwan a partner in the Readiness 2030 initiative" shorturl.at/mzMmc | by Thijs Stegeman.

"Together, the EU, Taiwan, and ASEAN can redefine connectivity not as a geopolitical tool for influence, but as a platform for empowerment, resilience, and strategic autonomy in the Global South" shorturl.at/lCfAp | by @zsuzsettte.bsky.social and @jgurolhaller.bsky.social

"While major breakthroughs are unlikely, progress on economic issues is possible and could help restore a measure of stability and predictability for companies and citizens on both sides" shorturl.at/FCAeS | by Gunnar Wiegand

"Crucially, reinvigorating key connectivity initiatives such as the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway would serve as both a symbolic and practical demonstration of India’s commitment to regional integration" shorturl.at/pL9AR | by Dr Apila Sangtam

New episode🎙️ In conjunction with EPinASEAN @jamescrabtree.bsky.social joins @zsuzsettte.bsky.social & @richheydarian.bsky.social on how Middle East events are (re)shaping Europe’s ties with Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific Plus Richard's newfound love for Polish food! Listen shorturl.at/yeg45

"France now joins a growing list of Indonesia’s strategic partners. It was a strategic moment in which a major European state and a rising regional middle power found common ground in their shared search for autonomy" shorturl.at/Tpf35 | by Aniello Iannone

"Southeast Asian anxieties with the Trump administration’s turn toward protectionist trade policies were evident in the May 2025 ASEAN Summit, when the regional bloc expressed ‘deep concern’ with US tariffs" shorturl.at/StYMa | by @hmarston.bsky.social

The June issue of The Navigator — out now! US engagement under strain — from Pacific travel bans to South Korea’s delicate balancing act. Plus: Indo-Pacific economies reel as growth forecasts crash and uncertainty grows. Read more: shorturl.at/NdAA5 Subscribe now!

"Given the importance of economic integration for the Indo-Pacific region, the linkages between security and economic issues are becoming increasingly difficult to address in siloes" shorturl.at/r0SUH | by @julietylee.bsky.social c/o @asiapolicy.asiasociety.org

"Many Nepalese are frustrated and disenchanted with the current political situation and poor government performance. But returning to a constitutional monarchy would be a regressive, authoritarian step, not a path toward democracy" shorturl.at/iDy3L | by Amit Ranjan

"A more fundamental security challenge may emerge from the Trump administration’s evolving defence posture, which could reorient US global military priorities, including troop deployments in South Korea, to better deter China" shorturl.at/6F1Om | by Wongi Choe

"The paradox of Sino-European relations is that, while they are fundamentally in poor shape and unlikely to find a way out of their current impasse, they are also remarkably stable" shorturl.at/cFWwI | by Nicholas Bequelin

"To safeguard its internet infrastructure, India must invest in indigenous undersea cable maintenance capabilities, including commissioning Indian-flagged vessels for rapid response within its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone" buff.ly/81Dw944 | by Arun Teja Polcumpally

The May issue of The Navigator — out now. We track the India-Pakistan flare-up that revived nuclear fears — and the regional diplomacy that followed. Plus: how China and India are recasting foreign policy as a tool of domestic control. Read: buff.ly/K8rnagr Subscribe now!

"Cambodia offers a litmus test: if Japan can sustain influence there, it may do so across mainland Southeast Asia" buff.ly/aDcdCRk | by Sophal Ear

New episode🎙️ In conjunction with EPinASEAN Stephen Nagy joins @zsuzsettte.bsky.social and @richheydarian.bsky.social to unpack Xi's tour of SEAsia and what it says about Beijing’s regional strategy—and why it matters for the Indo-Pacific and Europe. Plus @eurovision.tv Listen: buff.ly/0TWwMYy

Great episode of The Bridge @9dashline.com ft. Stephen Nagy in conversation with @zsuzsettte.bsky.social & @richheydarian.bsky.social talking about China’s diplomatic engagement in SE Asia: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

New episode🎙️ In conjunction with EPinASEAN Stephen Nagy joins @zsuzsettte.bsky.social and @richheydarian.bsky.social to unpack Xi's tour of SEAsia and what it says about Beijing’s regional strategy—and why it matters for the Indo-Pacific and Europe. Plus @eurovision.tv Listen: buff.ly/0TWwMYy

"Concern about a deterrent gap can either be bridged with a continued promise of the US nuclear umbrella, or a slow, measured withdrawal while South Korea pursues its own capabilities" buff.ly/j7HKmeG | by Hunter Slingbaum

New article in Asia Times 🇺🇸🇷🇺🇰🇵🇪🇺 Trump says he wants to end the war in Ukraine. But what would that actually look like? To understand it, I examine his record with North Korea: dramatic summits, vague promises, no enforcement—and a sidelined ally (South Korea). 🔗 asiatimes.com/2025/04/what...

In Brief with Mu Sochua, President of the Khmer Movement for Democracy buff.ly/WxiqqWp We discuss democratic decline, the growing influence of China, and the crucial role the international community — and Cambodia’s youth — must play in shaping a freer future.

"The Trump administration's instigation of its trade liberation policy has generated fear about how it might also rashly unshackle itself from longstanding security arrangements" buff.ly/0dfNnnX | by Anisa Heritage

The April issue of The Navigator — out now. Alongside our roundup, we explore economic tensions in Northeast Asia as Japan and South Korea react to US tariffs. We also turn to Myanmar, where the recent earthquake is deepening the man made crisis. buff.ly/6uA7Iy2 Subscribe now!

"Despite the opportunity presented by American retrenchment, China lacks the soft power to step in as a natural leader and its economic and political influence continue to be met with suspicion by regional elites" buff.ly/DmHoDCQ | by @hmarston.bsky.social

"Even though Myanmar’s international isolation appears to push it further closer to China, the Sit Tat and the EAOs are simultaneously engaging and contesting with China in different sectors" buff.ly/50iUAaS | by @chetanr.bsky.social

"Based on estimates from the Vietnam National Plastics Action Partnership, if the country’s current systems are not improved, the volume of plastics in its waterways could double by 2030" buff.ly/4S5H90d | by Thu Nguyen Hoang Anh

New episode 🎙️ In collaboration with the EPinASEAN This month Kristina Kironska joins @zsuzsettte.bsky.social and @richheydarian.bsky.social where they discuss: • Thailand-Myanmar earthquake • Rodrigo Duterte’s ICC arrest • Threats to press freedom and RFA budget cuts Listen now: buff.ly/gj5q7Bc

'As the economic centre of gravity shifts from the North Atlantic to the Pacific, Turkey's increasing emphasis on its Asian identity is a strategic move to benefit from the economic rise of East Asian countries and organisations" buff.ly/yHJfBId | by Dr Selçuk Çolakoğlu

"Seoul and Tokyo should begin preparing for a future in which they navigate regional challenges without a close ally who shares the same values" buff.ly/p1vTzfL | by Emma Whitmyer | @asiapolicy.asiasociety.org

Great piece by Richard Maude @asiasociety.org on #Australia's response to Trump 2.0 and the need for a more clear-eyed national discourse. Interesting Maude emphasizes Canberra's strategic hedging & increased diversification of defense partners.

The March issue of The Navigator — out now. Alongside our usual roundup of events, we examine how India is balancing oil imports amid geopolitical pressures and the impact of defunding Radio Free Asia on US soft power in the Indo-Pacific: Read: buff.ly/OIyrUW6 Subscribe now!

Without comment.