Pakistan’s Middle East strategy secures short-term gains—Saudi deposits, defence pacts, and mediation roles—yet its fragile economy and political dysfunction trap it in a “perpetual periphery.” Central enough to matter but too weak to consolidate influence, Islamabad’s diplomacy remains transactional, survivalist, and strategically unsustainable.

Pakistan’s economic crisis has reached a breaking point, with inflation exceeding 40% and foreign exchange reserves falling to critical levels.

Once strategic allies, Pakistan and Afghanistan are now engaged in direct military conflict. Despite Chinese mediation, cross-border airstrikes and TTP militancy have pushed bilateral relations to an unprecedented historic low.

This Issue Brief examines how the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) evolved from a regional strategic asset into an autonomous insurgent threat, fuelling a cycle of blame and instability between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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....

The Jatiya Nagorik Party (JNP)— born out of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) movement, that steered the July 2024 uprising in Bangladesh— is seeking to break the decades-long dominance of the Awami League and BNP, and advocating for a Second Republic through constitutional reform and centrist, pluralist governance. As it navigates entrenched power structures and competing opposition forces, it faces both great promise and uncertain challenges in its quest to reshape the nation’s political future.

Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, balances economic ties with China while asserting its sovereignty amid tensions in the South China Sea. China's maritime claims and illegal fishing in Indonesia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the....

The Issue Brief examines how Pakistan’s internal dynamics impact its cooperation with China, particularly through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), launched in 2015. It traces the evolution of Sino-Pak relations, highlighting their strategic....