Mr. Mekki El Mograbi, Media Consultant and Head, International Relations, Sudan Centre for Thinktanks and Strategic Studies, Khartoum, Sudan, visited ICPS on 28 March 2023 and interacted with the scholars.

Russia’s intensified strikes on Odessa highlight its bid to neutralise Ukraine’s maritime lifeline and assert dominance in the Black Sea. Rooted in historical claims and NATO security fears, Moscow’s campaign threatens Ukraine’s economy, global food security, and regional stability, while exposing the limits of international institutions.
This Issue Brief analyses the structural limitations of the Gulf security framework in light of Israel’s unprecedented attack in Doha on 9 September, targeting Palestinian Hamas leadership. While the attack marked a dangerous escalation of Tel Aviv’s regional adventurism, it also exposed the enduring structural weaknesses of the Gulf’s security architecture which has been defined by entrenched dependency on the United States.
This issue brief explores whether Pakistan can evolve from a traditional “security contractor” into West Asia’s net security stabiliser. The September 17, 2025, Saudi-Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement marks a pivotal moment, formalising decades of military cooperation between the two countries. Historically, Pakistan has trained Gulf forces, guarded monarchies, and provided military personnel, often in transactional arrangements....
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The Deep Freeze: The Stalled Path to India-Pakistan Reconciliation
Zainab Akhter
Diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan have collapsed into a deep freeze. With official dialogue suspended and military tensions rising, both nations are likely to rely on backchannels solely to manage crises.
Between Ambition and Reality: The Paradox of Pakistan’s Shuttle Diplomacy
Nazir Ahmad Mir
Pakistan is attempting to broker a ceasefire in the US-Israel war on Iran to protect its own economic stability, which relies heavily on Gulf oil and remittances.
Managed Ceasefire, Helpless Mediation: Pakistan’s Constrained Diplomatic Role
Imran Khurshid
The Iran ceasefire highlights the intersection of US strategic recalibration and Pakistan’s constrained diplomatic agency. What appears as mediation is, in reality, a reflection of broader power asymmetries in regional politics.
Bab el-Mandeb as the Next Possible Flashpoint: IMEC’s Role as a Strategic Hedge
Anubhuti Jain
Amid continuing US/Israel–Iran tensions, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait emerges as a new flashpoint threatening global trade, energy, and digital flows. India’s India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) offers a strategic hedge to mitigate these maritime risks.