Indo-Pacific — 9DASHLINE

Two navies, no war: the untested balance in the East China Sea

Written by Leonardo Morreale

In a first clash, both China and Japan would be learning the most expensive lessons in real time, and the side that adapts faster, not the side with more hulls, would likely prevail.

East Asia9DLJuly 28, 20269DASHLINE, Leonardo Morreale, China, Japan, East China Sea, Indo-Pacific, JMSDF, Taiwan, United States, Strait of Hormuz, Okinawa, Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force, Two navies no war the untested balance in the East China Sea, PLAN

Southeast Asian states are looking for options, but the United States isn’t giving them much to work with

Written by Hunter Marston

The recent Russia-ASEAN Summit is only the latest example of a more diffuse and loosely organised world order, in which Washington plays a less central role, and its rivals are calling the shots. While this emerging multipolar order is currently fuelling regional anxieties of instability and conflict in Southeast Asia, it is likely to be the new normal.

New Caledonia’s election settles little

Written by Dr Paco Milhiet

Left unresolved, this deadlock carries its own strategic cost: renewed instability would further strain an already fragile economy, deter the investment needed to revive the nickel sector, and cast doubt on France’s capacity to manage its own territory.

In Forum USA250: The future of liberal democracy in the Indo-Pacific

As the United States faces growing democratic challenges at home, the second part of this series brings together leading experts to examine what this means for liberal democracy across the Indo-Pacific.

Their perspectives explore whether Washington's declining influence strengthens authoritarianism — or creates space for new, regionally rooted approaches to democratic governance.

Faultlines, Most Popular9DLJuly 8, 2026Indo-Pacific, Democracy, liberal democracy, united states, FOREIGN POLICY, Asia, Geopolitics, Governance, Civil Society, Human Rights, ASEAN, Japan, Europe, International Relations

In Forum USA250: The future of the liberal international order in the Indo-Pacific

As the US marks its 250th anniversary, we invite several key experts to analyse how a changing US foreign policy and regional minilateralism are reshaping Indo-Pacific geopolitics.

New Episode - Energy shocks and strategic choices: How Southeast Asia is navigating turbulence in the Middle East

In this episode, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy and Richard Heydarian are joined by Dr. Huong Le Thu of the International Crisis Group for a timely discussion on how Southeast Asia is responding to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Together, they explore how the crisis is being interpreted across the region, from differing diplomatic positions and domestic political pressures to the growing impact of energy shocks and disruptions to global shipping routes.

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News9DLJune 24, 2026EPinASEAN, 9DASHLINE, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Richard Heydarian, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, European Parliament, The Bridge, Southeast Asia, China, India, Association of the Southeast Asian Nations, European Parliament in ASEAN, Huong Le Thu, Energy shocks and strategic choices: How Southeast Asia is navigating turbulence in the Middle East, Middle East, Iran

The Navigator’s May issue — out now

May highlights a defining trend across the Indo-Pacific: economic pressure and strategic competition are increasingly intertwined, as heatwaves, energy shocks, and supply-chain strain drive states to hedge more actively in a fragmented global order. This month’s feature examines Europe’s growing “strategic self-containment” in its China policy, reflecting a wider pattern of anticipatory restraint as states recalibrate under geopolitical pressure.

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News9DLMay 29, 20269DASHLINE, US, United States, Indo-Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, South China Sea, India-Pakistan, India, Pakistan, France, New Caledonia, Cambodia, Pacific Islands, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Tonga, PNG, Papua New Guinea, Trump, Myanmar, Elections, Iran, LNG, Energy, Sri Lanka, Arctic, Russia, Europe

Indonesia’s strategic autonomy and the absence of Indo-Pacific trilateralism

Written by Muhammad Izzuddin Al Haq

If other middle powers in the Indo-Pacific follow Jakarta’s stance in resisting formal alignment, the region may become one where multilateral cooperation works in peacetime but falls short in crises, including grey zone escalation.

Convergence without cooperation: Why US–India maritime cooperation isn’t ready for a crisis

Written by Anuttama Banerji and Dr. Sahar Khan

A central weakness in the partnership is the absence of shared operational experience. Unlike US treaty allies, India has not participated in high-intensity contingencies alongside US forces. This limits trust, slows decision-making, and increases the risk of misalignment.

New Episode - The art of the deal: EU and ASEAN trade and the power of cinema

In this episode, Bernd Lange MEP joins us for an in-depth conversation on EU trade negotiations with ASEAN partners — including Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines — and what they mean for Europe's geoeconomic future in the region, as well as the key issues on the road to agreement.

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News9DLMay 5, 2026EPinASEAN, 9DASHLINE, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Richard Heydarian, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, European Parliament, The Bridge, Southeast Asia, China, India, Association of the Southeast Asian Nations, Bernd Lange MEP, European Parliament in ASEAN, The Art of the Deal: EU and ASEAN Trade and the Power of Cinema

The Navigator’s April issue — out now

This month’s brief examines a system under increased strain: as conflict in the Middle East drives energy shocks and exposes fragile supply chains, Indo-Pacific states are navigating growing constraints — hedging across partners, absorbing economic pressure, and exploring alternative routes such as the Arctic’s emerging “Polar Silk Road” to preserve access, resilience, and strategic flexibility.

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News9DLMay 1, 20269DASHLINE, US, United States, Indo-Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, South China Sea, India-Pakistan, India, Pakistan, France, New Caledonia, Cambodia, Pacific Islands, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Tonga, PNG, Papua New Guinea, Trump, Myanmar, Elections, Iran, LNG, Energy, Sri Lanka, Polar Silk Road, Arctic, Arctic Silk Road, Russia

The Navigator’s March issue — out now

This month we examine a world under pressure: as conflict in the Middle East disrupts energy flows, Indo-Pacific states confront constrained choices, balancing neutrality, domestic stability, and external dependencies. From political resets in Nepal and Bangladesh to energy rationing in Sri Lanka and heightened strategic signalling across East and Southeast Asia, March highlights how governments are adapting in real time to a more interconnected and volatile global order.

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News9DLMarch 27, 20269DASHLINE, US, United States, Indo-Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, South China Sea, India-Pakistan, India, Pakistan, France, New Caledonia, Cambodia, Pacific Islands, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Tonga, PNG, Papua New Guinea, Trump, Myanmar, Elections, drones, Iran, Israel, LNG, Energy, Sri Lanka

The grey-zone of interest: How China tests Indonesia’s South China Sea strategy

Written by Omar Rasya Joenoes

The challenge, therefore, is to transform ambiguity from a reactive posture into a deliberate and integrated strategy — one that manages asymmetry without allowing incremental pressure to redefine the strategic status quo.

The Navigator’s February issue — out now!

This month’s brief examines a hardening strategic landscape: as grey-zone drone incursions test Europe’s resolve, Indo-Pacific states grapple with contested political transitions and mounting internal pressures that complicate deterrence, resilience, and regional stability.

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News9DLFebruary 27, 20269DASHLINE, US, United States, Indo-Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, South China Sea, India-Pakistan, India, Pakistan, France, New Caledonia, Cambodia, Pacific Islands, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Tonga, PNG, Papua New Guinea, Trump, Myanmar, Elections, drones

Economic security moves India-Japan relations into a new strategic phase

Written By Simran Walia

Institutional mechanisms for economic security cooperation require clear roadmaps, regulatory predictability, and policy coordination to attract increased Japanese participation in India’s high-technology sectors.

The Navigator’s January issue — out now!

This month’s briefs examine an international order in rupture: across the Indo-Pacific, middle powers are hedging through overlapping, issue-based partnerships, even as Myanmar’s sham election exposes the limits of values-based realism in an increasingly pragmatic global landscape.

Join our briefing today and stay ahead of the curve.

News9DLJanuary 30, 20269DASHLINE, US, United States, Indo-Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, South China Sea, India-Pakistan, India, Pakistan, France, New Caledonia, Cambodia, Pacific Islands, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Tonga, PNG, Papua New Guinea, Trump, Timor-Leste, Myanmar, Elections

In Brief: Naledi Tilmann and Dr. Yatana Yamahata

We are delighted to introduce our new editorial leadership.

In this In Brief discussion, Editor-in-Chief Dr Yatana Yamahata and Managing Editor Naledi Tilmann share their vision for the platform’s future, outlining a renewed focus on inclusive Indo-Pacific analysis that highlights under-represented states, youth-led movements, and non-state actors shaping regional security.

News9DLJanuary 16, 20269DASHLINE, Indo-Pacific, Manali Kumar, Japan, Myanmar, Asia, Europe, ASEAN, In Brief: Naledi Tilmann and Dr. Yatana Yamahata, Naledi Tilmann

Canada and the Philippines: A fast-rising security partnership reshaping Ottawa's Indo-Pacific posture

Written by Jonathan Berkshire Miller

For the first time in years, Ottawa is treating the Indo-Pacific not as a region of opportunities to sample but as a theatre in which it must choose where to invest.

Pacific, Most Popular9DLJanuary 14, 2026Canada and the Philippines: A fast-rising security partnership reshaping Ottawa's Indo-Pacific posture, 9DASHLINE, Jonathan Berkshire Miller, Canada, Philippines, South China Sea, Indo-Pacific, Visiting Forces Agreement, Second Thomas Shoal, Manila, Ottawa, Japan, Australia, Squad, United States