The Diplomat – Asia-Pacific

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Asia-Pacific geopolitics and geoeconomics.

News•Mar 5, 2026

Is India Torpedoing Its Claims to Being a Net Security Provider in the IOR?

A U.S. nuclear submarine torpedoed the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in international waters off Sri Lanka, killing dozens of sailors. The vessel had been a guest of the Indian Navy after participating in a fleet review in Visakhapatnam, yet New Delhi issued only a muted statement of concern. Former Indian naval officials have criticized the silence, arguing it undermines India’s claim as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region. The incident raises questions about India’s MAHASAGAR initiative and its ability to influence regional maritime security.

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The Diplomat – Asia-Pacific

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Technology Pulse

The Diplomat – Asia-Pacific

Is India Torpedoing Its Claims to Being a Net Security Provider in the IOR?

What Does Indonesia Get Out of the US-Indonesia Agreement on Reciprocal Trade?

What the Iran-US War Means for Asia

Peru and the Limits of Alarmism About Chinese Investment

Sanctions Evasion, Statecraft, and the New Crypto Geography in the Asia-Pacific

Implications of Prolonged Unrest in Iran for Pakistan

Uzbekistan’s Afghanistan Push Accelerates

Central Asia Watches, Worries, as Conflict Threatens to Engulf the Middle East

Central Asia’s ‘Soft Confederation’ Has a Hard Limit

Beyond the Third Neighbor: Mongolia-US Ties in an Era of Great Power Competition

During Lula’s Visit, South Korea and Brazil Agree to Revive Mercosur Trade Talks

2 Olympic Gold Medalists Show the Mixed Results of China’s Efforts to Bring Back Diaspora Talent

Did Indonesia Just Lock Itself Into an Energy Future It Can’t Afford?

Merz in China: Germany Between De-Risking and Strategic Partnership

The Future of Japan’s Regional Banks: Demographics, Mergers, and a Tight Market

Southeast Asia’s Grab Finally Turns a Profit

Sri Lanka Is Now India’s Best – and Maybe Last – Friend in South Asia

Japan’s Farm and Food Exports Hit New High As Trade Patterns Shift

America Needs More Than Creativity on Hong Kong – It Needs Action

Takaichi Draws a Red Line on Nuclear Sharing Amid Japan’s Security Review

The ‘Resting’ Generation and South Korea’s Youth Recession

China’s New Export: Aircraft Debt

Kazakh Journalists Are Being Fined for Surveying Public Opinion on the Upcoming Referendum

Why Japan Must Help Counter China’s Presence in the Pacific

China, ASEAN, and Beyond: The UK Strategy for the Indo-Pacific

Pakistan’s New Special Security Unit Underscores China’s Hold on the Country

How North Korea Is Ranking Southeast Asian Countries

Australia and Timor-Leste: A New Partnership for a New Era

Where Do India and Pakistan Stand in Kazakhstan’s Southward Connectivity Push?

Pakistan’s Search for Strategic Flexibility in South Asia

China’s Military Purges Won’t Change Its Taiwan Calculus