January 10, 2022

Would the new Coast Guard Forum help speed up COC negotiations?

Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) and Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in December 2021 to further strengthen bilateral ‘maritime security and safety’ cooperation. The MoU is expected to “serve as a tool, corridor and mechanism […]
November 26, 2021

Vietnam and Japan Commit to Partnership for Peace and Prosperity

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has returned home after a very productive meeting with his Japanese counterpart Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. It was his first visit to Japan and likewise, he was also the first foreign visitor that Kashida received […]
October 26, 2021

ASEAN must relentlessly pursue the Code of Conduct momentum set by Vietnam

The 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits scheduled later this month will take place in a turbulent time wherein two important issues will be high on the agenda of the grouping. First, the developments concerning Myanmar, a thorny […]
October 11, 2021

Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia Special Relations

Geographic contiguity built around the Mekong River plains, ancient socio-cultural connections, and collective modern history of colonial occupation by the French are significant triggers for Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao to converse beyond the ASEAN framework. In this context, it was […]
June 23, 2021

US China sabre rattling in South China Sea continues unabated

Three recent military incidents in the South China Sea are indicators that China’s intentions to pursue coercive strategy has continued unabated. First, the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) startled the Malaysian Air Force (MAF) after 16 Chinese military aircraft including fighter […]
March 12, 2021

Vietnam practices deft diplomacy amid strategic dilemmas

US President Biden signed the interim National Security Guidance early this month which notes that Russia “remains determined to enhance its global influence and play a disruptive role on the world stage”, and identifies China as “the only competitor potentially […]
September 18, 2020

International Response to China’s Military Buildup and Reclamations in South China Sea

The article discusses how China’s military buildup and reclamations in the South China Sea is leading to the emergence of new coalitions and partnerships and whether the Five Eyes (Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States) will work […]
August 26, 2020

Commonalities in Chinese Strategy in South China Sea and Himalayas

China appears to have drawn a leaf from its South China Sea strategy and put it to use in the Himalayas against India. Likewise, there are a few instances of Chinese intentions and operations against India and some of these […]
July 6, 2020

Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) and the US strategy in the Indo-Pacific | Policy Beyond Politics Episode 06

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently criticised the PLA for escalating the border tension with India and also militarising the South China Sea and illegally claiming more territory there threatening vital sea lanes. In this episode of #PolicyBeyondPolitics CPPR […]
December 20, 2019

Stemming the tide: India’s geopolitical future in IOR

When it comes to the geopolitics and control over the seas, Alfred Thayer Mahan—the renowned geopolitical and naval strategist—comes to mind. His theory of control over the sea—a determinant of global predominance—is very much relevant today. In 19th century, British […]
May 1, 2019

Rolling the Credits on Modi’s ‘Act East’ Policy

By Juanita Justin Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interaction with Southeast Asia comes at a time of changing geopolitical architecture in the Southeast Asian and Indo-Pacific region. The government revamped the 1991 ‘Look East’ policy to the ‘Act East’ policy to […]
March 1, 2018

China–ASEAN Maritime Drills: How did it come to this?

China’s utilisation of dollar diplomacy in Southeast Asia has been incredibly effective, particularly since 2015. Economic aid for infrastructure projects to these countries has helped Beijing win the political goodwill of the leaders of many ASEAN members, particularly towards the […]
July 7, 2016

Awaiting the ruling on South China Sea

By Christi Thomas* The contending states in the South China Sea disputes are awaiting the verdict of the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration this month. The case was brought by the Philippines primarily concerning the legality of China’s “Nine-dash line”, […]
September 22, 2015

Japan: A Pacifist Embrace of  Militarism- Or was it the other way round?

Collective Security dictum of “all for one and one for all” rationale for global peacekeeping missions will now be applicable to Japan. The significant changes in the pacifist constitution of Japan to make its defence forces more upbeat recently witnessed […]
August 14, 2015

New Era in Indo-Sino Relations

The CPPR rendez-vous with the Chinese ambassador to India, His Excellency Le Yucheng added one more feather to our illustrious cap. The ambassador had come to the state of Kerala as the official guest of the Government of Kerala. The […]