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Flashpoints
Will China’s military rival the United States’ in the Pacific? Will Japan abandon the constitutional fetters on its own military? How will India respond to the String of Pearls strategy? The Diplomat has put together a team of leading analysts to offer must-read, regular commentary on the big defense and security issues in the Asia-Pacific.

January 22, 2021
Sea Vigil: India’s Coastal Security Exercise
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
Given India’s vast coastline and a not-so-benign neighborhood, India has to remain vigilant to external threats via sea routes.

January 22, 2021
Report Repudiates Trump Officials’ Claims About US and Ladakh
By Abhijnan Rej
A January 19 news article by a well-connected Indian journalist calls recent claims to question.

January 21, 2021
India-Japan Cyber Cooperation: From Strength to Strength
By Prakash Panneerselvam
Both Tokyo and New Delhi share common concerns about China – including on cyberspace.

January 20, 2021
How Will Harris Influence IP Law in the Biden Administration?
By Robert Farley
The incoming vice president’s Senate record suggests how the administration may tackle IP policy issues.

January 12, 2021
China and India’s Stakes in the Qatar Conflict
By Guy Burton
The resolution of the rift between Qatar on one side and Saudi Arabia and the UAE on the other will cause sighs of relief in Beijing and New Delhi.

January 11, 2021
Iran Toughens Rhetoric as Biden Looks to Salvage Nuclear Talks
By Abhijnan Rej
The Biden administration will have to find a way to bring Iran back to the negotiating table. And Tehran knows that.

January 09, 2021
Pompeo Approves New State Department Tech Bureau
By Abhijnan Rej
A focus on new technologies as a key element of U.S. national security would likely be one of the few bright spots from Trump’s time in the White House.

January 08, 2021
Tech Companies Can’t Stay Out of National Security — Irrespective of What They Want
By Jacob Parakilas
The January 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob once again brings the role of social media in maintaining public security and safety to the foreground.

January 06, 2021
With Ship Seizure, South Korea Again Stuck Between the US and Iran
By Kyle Ferrier
The South Korean tanker MT Hankuk Chemi is collateral damage in the larger U.S.-Iranian tensions.

January 06, 2021
US Ambassador to India Confirms His Country’s Role in Ladakh Standoff
By Abhijnan Rej
The outgoing Ambassador Kenneth Juster was speaking at a virtual think tank event.

January 05, 2021
India Releases Draft Arctic Policy
By Abhijnan Rej
As China makes inroads in the Arctic, India seeks to throw its hat in the regional geopolitical ring.

January 04, 2021
Iran Flexes Muscle as Trump Seeks to Restore Deterrence — Again
By Abhijnan Rej
Iran’s resumption of uranium enrichment as well as seizure of a South Korean tanker stands to needle an administration hopelessly obsessed with Tehran.
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