The world order is no longer simply contested – it is fragmented, interest-led and driven by power rather than rules. Multilateral frameworks are strained as major powers assert influence through pressure, alignment and selective norm-breaking. In this evolving landscape, influence is exercised not only by those with overwhelming power but also by small and middle powers that can navigate ambiguity, build coalitions and shape outcomes at the margins. Is multilateralism adapting or being sidelined in today’s geopolitical environment? What is the future of multilateralism in this complex geopolitical landscape and who has the capacity to influence its direction? How can agency be exercised balancing principles and pragmatism when rules are weakened and predictability erodes?
The rise of China and India has reshaped Asia’s strategic and economic landscape, with the nature of their strategic competition a central factor in regional stability and development. The re-emergence of Global South discourse has seen distinct efforts laid down by both Beijing and New Delhi to mobilise regional partners towards tackling shared challenges and the delivery of public goods. China’s approach to Global South mobilisation has been a bid to address Western disillusionment by pitching itself as an “alternative to the West” while India’s approach has been to cooperate with the Global North, leveraging on its potential as a “bridge to the West”. What are the factors shaping evolving China-India dynamics and how do they impact how both actors perceive the Indo-Pacific and beyond? How would these in turn affect and influence Southeast Asia’s agency, strategic choices and engagement with both?
The formation of ASEAN and its subsequent expansion have been central to peace and stability in Southeast Asia, while providing an inclusive platform for major powers to engage with the region. Today, intensifying geopolitical competition and mounting pressures on ASEAN-led processes are testing whether its existing mechanisms remain fit for purpose. Which ASEAN mechanisms still deliver strategic value and which have become ritualistic exercises? Which are most in need of an honest review or recalibration, and is ASEAN politically prepared to confront its own institutional inertia? Has the expanding web of ASEAN-led mechanisms strengthened coordination or diluted focus and capacity?
Ongoing modernisation and expansion of nuclear arsenals by nuclear weapon states (NWS) are placing immense strain on an already fragile regime of safeguards and control measures. The possible resumption of nuclear-weapon testing adds further challenges. What is driving these developments and what is its impact on the Asia-Pacific? Is nuclear deterrence a credible strategy for preventing conflict between nuclear-armed states or does it increase the risk of nuclear escalation and weapon use? How can non-NWS navigate these tensions, shape conversations on escalation management and regional cooperation, without undermining broader global non-proliferation norms?
Global critical mineral supply chains are being increasingly shaped by geopolitics, industrial policy and national security, moving away from market-led globalisation towards strategic realignment. Do emerging export controls, strategic stockpiling and friend-shoring signal an imminent bifurcation into parallel supply ecosystems? What geoeconomic consequences will this shift create for producers and importers? How will this tilt the balance of power in global markets? Which domestic, regional and international policy tools can strengthen resilience while preserving competitiveness and value creation?