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The Navigator’s August issue — out now

The Navigator’s August issue — out now

The August edition of THE NAVIGATOR is now available, delivering in-depth analysis, up-to-date information, and a comprehensive look at the Indo-Pacific region. This month we examine a region facing mounting pressure on multiple fronts. From extreme climate shocks and economic strain to shifting security partnerships and great-power competition, governments across the Indo-Pacific are increasingly focused on resilience, adaptability, and domestic stability.

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News9DLAugust 28, 20269DASHLINE, US, United States, China, Japan, South Korea, 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, Lithuania, Taliban, Afghanistan, Women's rights

‘Free’ from What? China and Ten Years of Free and Open Indo-Pacific

‘Free’ from What? China and Ten Years of Free and Open Indo-Pacific

Written by Angelo M'BA

In the future, even less confrontational and security-focused iterations of FOIP are likely to face Beijing’s opposition because their premise of involving external actors — to balance China’s dominance — clashes with Beijing’s own objectives, regardless of content.

Faultlines9DLAugust 24, 2026‘Free’ from What? China and Ten Years of Free and Open Indo-Pacific, Angelo M'BA, 9DASHLINE, Indo-Pacific, FOIP, Free and Open Indo-Pacific, Japan, China, Philippines, South China Sea, ASEAN, Takaichi, Munich Security Conference, Xi Jinping, Asia-Pacific

The Navigator’s July issue — out now

The Navigator’s July issue — out now

This month, we examine EU engagement with the Taliban, where Chris Fitzgerald argues that efforts to curb irregular migration risk undermining the bloc's longstanding commitment to human rights and international law. As Europe weighs strategic pragmatism against its normative identity, Fitzgerald asks what is sacrificed when geopolitical priorities take precedence over democratic values.

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News9DLJuly 31, 20269DASHLINE, US, United States, China, Japan, South Korea, 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, Lithuania, Taliban, Afghanistan, Women's rights

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

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.

The case for an overarching US Indo-Pacific strategy

The case for an overarching US Indo-Pacific strategy

Written by Dr Anisa Heritage

While a consolidation strategy offers a sensible course correction, deterrence in the Indo-Pacific depends as much on regional confidence in long-term political commitments as it does on military capability.

The Navigator’s June issue — out now

The Navigator’s June issue — out now

This month’s brief examines Taiwan–Lithuania relations, where shared experiences of external pressure have driven closer political and tech cooperation. Five years on from Vilnius hosting Taiwan’s Representative Office, the relationship remains strongest politically, while delivering more limited economic outcomes — highlighting the challenge of turning strategic alignment into tangible shared success. Alongside this, our regional review explores an Indo-Pacific defined by fragmentation and adaptation.

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News9DLJune 26, 20269DASHLINE, US, United States, 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, Lithuania

Navigating our future together? The Philippines as a gender equality champion abroad, work in progress at home

Navigating our future together? The Philippines as a gender equality champion abroad, work in progress at home

Written by Athena Charanne Presto and Maria Tanyag

The Philippines has had real regional influence on gender equality, supported by a long lineage of female diplomats, policymakers, and civil society leaders who have helped shape ASEAN’s gender equality architecture since its early years.

The Navigator’s May issue — out now

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

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

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.

The Navigator’s April issue — out now

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

Grey-zone drones: Lessons for Europe from the Indo-Pacific

Grey-zone drones: Lessons for Europe from the Indo-Pacific

Written by Thijs Stegeman

Europe must communicate clear thresholds and move forward with its own integrated drone defence, or risk allowing Russia’s grey-zone drone activity to become the new normal.

The Navigator’s March issue — out now

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 Philippines’ hard balancing statecraft won’t deliver the South China Sea Code of Conduct

The Philippines’ hard balancing statecraft won’t deliver the South China Sea Code of Conduct

Written by Pheng Thean

If the Philippines seeks a realistic pathway towards a functional COC — and to preserve ASEAN’s credibility as a neutral convening platform — it must complement its instruments of statecraft with more targeted diplomatic adjustments.

Southeast Asia9DLMarch 23, 2026The Philippines’ hard balancing statecraft won’t deliver the South China Sea Code of Conduct, Pheng Thean, 9DASHLINE, South China Sea, ASEAN, The Philippines, China, Code of Conduct (COC), ASEAN chairmanship, hard balancing, reputational costs, alliance building, Exercise Balikatan, defence cooperation, deterrence signalling, maritime security, Vietnam

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

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!

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

The Navigator’s January issue — out now!

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.

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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

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

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

The Navigator’s December issue — out now!

The Navigator’s December issue — out now!

This month’s briefs examine an Indo-Pacific shaped by hybrid insecurity: as the United States retreats from development leadership, middle powers step in to fill the void, while escalating climate disasters are redefining resilience, influence, and regional power.

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News9DLDecember 31, 20259DASHLINE, 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, COP30, Sheikh Hasina