25 Feb 2021
Australia’s silence on Chagos dispute doesn’t help
Ensuring a consistent approach to the “rules” would make it that much harder for China to break them.
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24 Feb 2021
What are China’s leaders saying about the South China Sea?
The rhetoric weaves between cooperative and competitive, leaving the question of what – and who – to believe. -
23 Feb 2021
Democracy vs autocracy: Biden’s “inflection point”
If this really is a new Cold War, it’s off to a slow start. -
15 Feb 2021
The power of example: America’s presence in Diego Garcia
US claims to upholding the rules-based order don’t square with its silence on Mauritian sovereignty in the Chagos. -
12 Feb 2021
Scottish independence and the implications for British defence
Breaking away from the UK would bring up some thorny issues – like what to do with nukes. -
12 Feb 2021
CCP governance comes to the South China Sea
Focusing exclusively on China’s use of coercion across the region obscures the true extent of Beijing’s ambitions. -
9 Feb 2021
India should prioritise a denial strategy in the Indian Ocean
The stand-off with China in the Himalayas has raised a broader debate about India’s strategic outlook. -
4 Feb 2021
The Donbass conflict: Waiting for escalation
The forgotten war involving Ukraine and Russia in the energy-rich region is simmering still. -
27 Jan 2021
Re-evaluating the military’s role in disaster response
“Sustainable security” should be a mantra for a reformed military in a pandemic age. -
13 Jan 2021
Why North Korea wants an arms control deal with the United States
Arms control might sound more appealing than tried-and-failed denuclearisation agreements – but it carries costs, too. -
16 Dec 2020
Russia and China team up on the Indian Ocean
The US and its allies may have military dominance in the region, but it’s no guarantee of influence. -
11 Dec 2020
Joe Biden’s Pentagon pick sends a message
The choice of Lloyd Austin as Defense Secretary singles out someone who could help end America’s “forever wars”. -
9 Dec 2020
A reckoning for Thailand’s indigenous defence industry
The Covid pandemic forced into action long-held plans to remodel defence procurement, but it’s a big challenge. -
7 Dec 2020
The Afghan inquiry and the question of responsibility
Agitating for a big scalp only distracts from reflecting on what the Brereton report actually uncovered. -
30 Nov 2020
Russia’s red star in the Red Sea
A naval facility in Port Sudan signals a new thrust of Russian operations in the Indo-Pacific. -
27 Nov 2020
Beijing’s line on the South China Sea: “Nothing to see here”
China’s official denials of growing military capability in the region look a lot like gaslighting. -
23 Nov 2020
The submarine capability gap
The life-of-type extension project is a major, complex and high-risk undertaking of critical importance. -
20 Nov 2020
Australia’s mission in Afghanistan – what was it again?
Nothing can reduce the responsibility of individuals. But the political context for a “forever war” is relevant, too. -
13 Nov 2020
The evolving threat from chemical weapons
Emerging technologies pose new challenges to the already fragile norms of chemical weapons control. -
12 Nov 2020
Japan-Australia: The chance to sweeten the deal
Scott Morrison’s trip to Tokyo should move beyond a narrow focus on defence to secure the living environment. -
4 Nov 2020
Is China speeding up military modernisation? It may, but not yet
A new communique was quickly read as a signal Beijing was shifting forward its 2035 target but the evidence isn’t there. -
29 Oct 2020
Western Indian Ocean: Where trouble on land spells danger at sea
Piracy and smuggling are already a menace. Add a budding Islamist insurgency, and far-reaching implications may follow. -
28 Oct 2020
Rebirth of the quadrilateral Malabar: Promises and portents for India
The inclusion of Australia in the 2020 Exercise Malabar signals India’s resolve to defend its interests in the region. -
13 Oct 2020
A third aircraft carrier for India: Budget versus necessity
Concerns about cost overruns should be kept in perspective. The need for naval power projection is only growing. -
6 Oct 2020
Stepping past the fatalism trap
If Australia wants to shape rather than be shaped by a fast-changing world, creative diplomacy is essential. -
27 Aug 2020
Indo-Pacific strategy: Before justifying the means, identify the ends
Facing uncertainty of where “strategic competition” is headed, first look for the ideal outcome. -
20 Aug 2020
Australia doesn’t need to choose between guns and butter
The country’s options in defence, aid and diplomacy are not as financially constrained as might be feared. -
20 Aug 2020
Australia and Sri Lanka: Air connectivity in the Indian Ocean region
The success of the two countries’ naval cooperation shows the potential for expanded partnership. -
14 Aug 2020
Diego Garcia: The US has a clear choice
The Mauritian ambassador to the UN on recognising the country’s sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. -
7 Aug 2020
A Chinese-built airport next door to a key Australia-US naval base?
Manus Island is a vital strategic location. Why is a Chinese company being paid to upgrade its airfield? -
6 Aug 2020
A force to combat climate change?
The summer bushfires put Australia to the test. They also had future implications for the New Zealand Defence Force. -
21 Jul 2020
India, Australia and containing the China challenge
Joint war games in the Indian Ocean are not symbolic – and the message isn’t lost on Beijing. -
20 Jul 2020
Hidden gems in the 2020 Force Structure Plan
Defence’s $270 billion shopping list has some surprising inclusions. -
15 Jul 2020
Twisting India’s Chicken’s Neck
The Siliguri Corridor in north-eastern India poses a major defence challenge. -
14 Jul 2020
A high-risk, low-reward defence posture
What exactly does Australia showing “willingness” to use force look like? And where does it lead? -
10 Jul 2020
India-China conflict: A move from the Himalayas to the high seas?
A risky naval blockade in the Indian Ocean is touted by some as a way to pressure China’s vital energy routes. -
10 Jul 2020
Stoking the fire of Asia-Pacific missile proliferation
Despite the justifications, Australia’s plan to acquire long-range missiles won’t make the country or the region safer. -
3 Jul 2020
Australia’s Strategic Update: What it means for Indonesia
Jakarta’s response is likely to be complex and will require deft management by Australian policymakers. -
2 Jul 2020
Defence Strategic Update 2020: A first assessment
A candid assessment of Australia's challenges, but will the planned measures be enough? -
19 Jun 2020
Lessons from the India-China border clashes
China has effectively signalled a new phase in its territorial strategy, which should give Indo-Pacific watchers pause. -
16 Jun 2020
Diego Garcia: India’s conundrum
New Delhi declared unequivocal support for “all peoples striving for decolonisation”, only to keep conspicuously quiet. -
16 Jun 2020
It’s not OK: White supremacy and Australia’s security services
A small gesture raises big questions about white supremacist ideology in Australian police and security forces. -
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9 Jun 2020
The case for Australian strategic ambiguity
Loyalty has its place. But being a more uncertain ally can make you a better friend. -
22 May 2020
Islands of opportunity: Where India and Australia can work together
Joint access to Andaman and Nicobar islands and Cocos island offers a chance to extend patrols and strategic ties. -
20 May 2020
We’re all losers in the space arms race
Nations have battled one another for strategic advantage in space for decades. Actual fighting would be a step beyond. -
19 May 2020
As Jakarta trims defence, Beijing makes waves in the South China Sea
Covid-19 has seen Southeast Asian countries cut defence budgets just as maritime threats look to be growing dire. -
11 May 2020
What’s missing from the Strategic Update
Cute but not cuddly – the goal for defence should be to impose unacceptable costs on a predator that tries to attack. -
11 May 2020
Weight on the scales
Middle powers might seek to balance the US and China, but inevitably their own actions change the equation. -
6 May 2020
Discontinued: America’s Continuous Bomber Presence
Ending a long-standing program, the US shows its commitment to defending friends in the Western Pacific is on the wane.