Asia
India’s anti-satellite missile test: also a test for the polity
Last month, scientists of India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation carried out an anti-satellite missile test, as a part of the mission codenamed Shakti (Power), and…
The frustrated wait for Thailand’s election outcome
As the dust settles in Thailand’s first election since a military coup in 2014, it appears that far from resolving the country’s perpetual political crisis, the election will only…
As South Korea and Japan pick a fight, don’t expect Trump to care
Relations between South Korea and Japan are spiralling downward – again. This is a depressingly regular event. Every few years, these neighbours slide into a serious spat, driven…
ASEAN Regional Forum: less might be more
The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) – with its unwieldy number of member states (27) and preoccupation with dialogue (a “talk shop”) – has been declared a failure time and again. Some…
Economic diplomacy: trade and infrastructure battles in Asia
Each way bet
Australian businesses are simultaneously becoming more dependent on China and traditional Anglo markets just when the country’s foreign policy thrust is to diversify…
Indian elections: cinema as an instrument of propaganda
A biopic film about Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to release on 5 April, just days before India starts voting for the general elections on 11 April. The proximity of…
Stockholm Syndrome: social media can shape China’s foreign policy
From Bitcoin to YouTube, the internet has greatly altered the way humans behave and interact. This is particularly the case in China – the largest online community in the world…
Taking transitional justice to Cambodia’s youth
Like young people the world over, the youth of Cambodia are glued to their mobile phones. They sit in cafes and bars, order food from street vendors, and weave their motor…
The “satellite clause” for North Korea’s rockets
Numerous reports give weight to the theory that North Korea will soon stage another satellite launch, the first since February 2016. North Korea has only ever placed two…
Australia–India ties: closing the gap between intent and action
From the days of former Australian prime minister Robert Menzies, Australia has desired strong ties with India. “We must learn to think together and to act together,” Menzies…