ISDP Voices

The Trump administration’s August 7 tariffs have officially taken effect. After four months of shifting deadlines and opaque negotiations, some clarity is finally emerging–at least on paper. Instead of “90 deals in 90 days,” the world saw sweeping unilateral U.S. tariffs and only eight confirmed agreements, one of them with the European Union. Controversial from […]

A recent report by a Chinese news outlet highlighted comments from a senior Bangladeshi officer, who stated that “China is very important to us,” underscoring the significance of China as an investment partner. He emphasized the longstanding bilateral relationship between the two countries and suggested that the progress made over the past 50 years could […]

On July 19, China announced the commencement of the construction of what is set to become the world’s largest hydropower project on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo in Nyingtri (Ch: Nyingchi), Tibet. The project comprises of five cascade power stations with a total investment of about 1.2 trillion yuan, and it is targeted […]

In less than 36 hours of starting Operation Rising Lion, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced “air superiority” over Tehran, which is roughly 2,300 km away from Israel. The announcement, alongside the successful targeting of key Iranian military infrastructure, military commanders, and over a dozen key nuclear scientists, reflects the remarkable achievement and strategic brilliance […]

Each year on July 28, the world pauses to raise awareness about viral hepatitis, a group of diseases still claiming millions of lives. The day commemorates Dr. Baruch Blumberg, who discovered the hepatitis B virus and developed its vaccine. This year’s theme, “Let’s Break It Down,” is a powerful call to dismantle the financial, social, […]

India, France, and the United Arab Emirates (IFU) formalized a trilateral cooperation partnership in February 2023. The three countries share a host of commonalities and strategic interests, of which, defense cooperation is a significant one. Under the aegis of the IFU trilateral, the three sides are committed to furthering their defense cooperation by promoting ‘compatibility, […]

The current Dalai Lama’s exile from Tibet after China annexed it decades ago has made his succession a highly contentious issue.  The 14th Dalai Lama–Tenzin Gyatso–has now confirmed that he will have a successor after his death, ending years of uncertainty. In the long-awaited announcement, he said a trust created by him will be the […]

In February, The Financial Times reported that senior White House official Peter Navarro called for Canada to be removed from the Five Eyes intelligence network. Navarro has denied the allegations, telling The Financial Times, “We would never ever jeopardise our national security . . . with allies like Canada.” His use of the word allies, especially in reference to […]

In April this year, The Financial Times exposed that He Wei Dong was under investigation for alleged corruption. As a vice-national-level leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee, he held the highest military rank, 上将 (upper commander/ General), within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Due to his extraordinarily high rank, his absence from […]

Introduction  The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s cuts to national cybersecurity in recent months risk compromising situational awareness, incident response and analysis. Combined with the department’s controversies, and more broadly, the second Trump administration’s negative posture towards globally shared norms, these reductions can seriously erode trust in the U.S.-Japan cyber intelligence-sharing relationship, which relies […]