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NATO and Quad: a China threat vs. a cross-functional Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific cooperation
This article by Jagannath Panda investigates the evolving security dynamics posed by China’s rise under Xi Jinping, with a focus on its implications for NATO and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad). As China expands its influence through military modernization, economic initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and security frameworks such as the Global Development Initiative (GDI), it poses a multifaceted challenge to the liberal international order (LIO). This article examines how NATO and the Quad, representing Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific interests respectively, are adapting to these threats, particularly in light of China’s growing partnerships with authoritarian regimes like Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The article further explores whether these two security mechanisms, despite their distinct regional focuses and operational structures, can establish a cooperative relationship to counterbalance China’s global ambitions. Panda contends that while China’s rise and its authoritarian alliances represent significant threats, the feasibility of a coordinated NATO-Quad response remains uncertain, necessitating further strategic alignment to safeguard international stability. You can read and download this article written by Jagannath Panda at the Springer Nature Link, at the journal's website.
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Leaving No One Behind: A Call for Global Action to Address Dementia Among Refugees
Anupama D S, Aniruddha Inamdar, and Sanjay Pattanshetty write that addressing the crisis of dementia among refugees requires coordinated action across borders, building on successful models and scaling interventions. Policy and legislative reform must prioritize the inclusion of refugees and migrants in national dementia strategies. They argue that risk reduction strategies must be culturally sensitive and multisectoral, addressing the determinants that increase dementia risk among refugees. This includes interventions targeting depression, social isolation, and chronic disease management, as well as programs that strengthen social cohesion and community support systems. Support for caregivers, predominantly women within refugee families, requires dedicated attention through training programs, legal protections, and respite services adapted to displacement contexts, writes Anupama D S, Aniruddha Inamdar, and Sanjay Pattanshetty. Read this piece here.
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Crossroads After the 2025 EU-China Summit
Despite an initial rethaw of official ties earlier in the year, the 2025 EU-China Summit was marked by diplomatic frictions, cancellations, and last-minute adjustments. The meeting produced modest outcomes on export controls, climate targets, and regulatory cooperation—incremental steps with uncertain substance. Yet the narrow scope of deliverables reflected Beijing’s reluctance to address core EU concerns, while Brussels faced down parallel pressures from transatlantic trade disputes and Russia-Ukraine negotiations. Johannes Nordin writes that, more a crossroads than a jubilee for Brussels, the summit highlighted the weight of unresolved trade frictions and China’s deepening ties with Russia. Looking ahead, EU–China relations will depend less on the summit’s tentative signals than on whether Beijing heeds the EU’s reinforced red lines or simply waits out Brussels under mounting external pressures. Read this issue brief here.
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Japan’s Official Security Assistance to the Philippines: Legitimizing a New Strategic Tool
Both Japan and the Philippines are navigating an increasingly intricate security landscape, in which various actors––China being the most significant––are making unilateral efforts to alter the regional power dynamics. The tensions are particularly concentrated in the maritime domain, with the Philippines emerging as a prominent adversary of China’s actions in the South China Sea. Numerous questions remain regarding the aid program’s future trajectory. This issue brief by Pihla Kukkonen and Julie Yu-Wen Chen examines how the Japanese government establishes legitimacy to extend its Official Security Assistance (OSA) to the Philippines. Japan is exploring the boundaries of its role as a security actor and the extent to which it can broaden its new aid initiative, with much of OSA’s future implementation and transformation hinging on the international community and recipient nations’ responses. Read and download this brief here.
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The “New” Frontier: Sino-Russian Cooperation in the Arctic and its Geopolitical Implications
This special paper, edited by Niklas Swanström and Filip Borges Månsson, examines Sino-Russian relations in the Arctic and forms part of a series of research projects at the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP). It aims to enhance understanding of the extent to which Russia and China cooperate across different policy areas. Although the Arctic remains highly relevant in global geopolitics, it has been largely neglected in recent years due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and other militarized conflicts. This volume brings together insights from 12 scholars with diverse areas of expertise, offering both a broad and in-depth perspective on the region and the dynamics of Sino-Russian cooperation, or lack thereof. Read the volume here.
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India-Sweden Strategic Compass, Vol.4, No.4, July-August 2025.
Want to know more about how India-Sweden ties are progressing this summer? The past two months have underscored both the dynamism and the strategic depth of India-Sweden relations, as well as their positioning within broader European and global currents. A landmark development was the 10th Joint Working Group on Defence Cooperation, which not only reviewed existing partnerships but also opened new avenues for industry-to-industry collaboration. The parallel business interactions between Indian and Swedish defence associations demonstrated the maturity of this pillar and its potential to evolve into a cornerstone of bilateral engagement. As both nations navigate a turbulent world, the past two months reaffirm that India and Sweden remain committed to building a future-oriented, inclusive, and strategic partnership. Read this bi-monthly newsletter on India-Sweden relations.
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China’s Climate Commitments and the Tibetan Paradox: An Argument for Accountability under the UNFCCC
China today is the second-largest economy and the single largest emitter of greenhouse gases. It plays a pivotal role in any global climate resolution. Yet its internal environmental practices, especially in the ecologically critical region of Tibet, have raised questions about the consistency of its international commitments with its local governance models, write Richard Ghiasy and Jagannath Panda. They further write that its classification as a “developing country” within the UNFCCC structure also does not reflect its economic and geopolitical stature. The UNFCCC should institutionalize a stronger civil society presence, including representation from marginalized territories. Mechanisms such as observer status, independent reporting rights, and stakeholder consultations can democratize the climate dialogue, write Ghiasy and Panda.