China and India amid the Iran War: The Implications of Pakistan’s Mediating Role

By Agnieszka Nitza-Makowska

The Iran War has given Pakistan one of its most prominent diplomatic platforms in recent years: a host and facilitator of peace talks in a conflict with global implications. For China–India relations, the significance lies not in whether Islamabad could deliver a final settlement, but in what the process has already conferred: a temporary but politically meaningful elevation of Pakistan’s regional standing.

Steering ASEAN amid Turbulent Waters

By Alec Julian Andrade Templonuevo

Philippine domestic divisions and public “word wars” with China risk undermining Manila’s credibility as 2026 ASEAN Chair and eroding ASEAN centrality at a critical moment. Effective leadership will require projecting internal coherence, rallying broader ASEAN unity among claimant and non-claimant states, and converting the Code of Conduct pledge into concrete, legally grounded diplomatic progress.

India-ASEAN Relations in an Evolving Strategic Landscape

By Srinath Raghavan

India and ASEAN are marking 2026 as the “Year of Maritime Cooperation”. The two sides are keen to promote and deepen maritime exchanges in both commercial and defence domains. They had held the first ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME) in 2023; a second edition is currently in the works. Such targeted initiatives are aimed at imparting momentum to a relationship that is perceived as flagging—even in comparison to India’s own bilateral ties with countries in the region. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision not to attend in-person the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025 was seen as underlining the dip in New Delhi’s interest.

Can Small States and Middle Powers Shape the Indo-Pacific?

By Denis Hew

Navigating intensifying geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions, the Indo-Pacific region stands at an inflection point in a rapidly changing global order. The region, long defined by dynamism and promise, now faces compounding uncertainties. Intensifying US-China rivalry, economic fragmentation, technological competition, rising trade protectionism, and contested maritime boundaries are driving regional volatility. Against this backdrop, a critical strategic question emerges: Can small states and middle powers shape the Indo-Pacific’s future? Do they have the agency to address these emerging challenges and navigate an increasingly hostile global landscape?