THINK TANK
Think Tank (1/2023)
HIGHLIGHT
Perils of Great Power Rivalry: The China-Russia-United States Triangle

The RSIS Distinguished Public Dialogue, held on 12 Jan 2023, examined the dynamics of Great Power relations at this perilous juncture in world affairs. The discussion focused on two particularly momentous sets of issues: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (and the US-European-Western and broader international response); and US-China relations (including the impact of the 20th Party Congress in B ...

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RECENT BOOKS BY STAFF
Maritime Cooperation and Security in the Indo-Pacific Region
More than twenty Indo-Pacific scholars and emerging experts come together in this definitive volume to deliver fresh perspectives and original research on maritime cooperation and security. With subjects ranging from the Philippines to Antarctica, Coast Guards to climate change, these essays pay tribute to the late Commodore Sam Bateman (PhD) while laying the academic groundwork for the improved policies and behaviours that provide for expanded good order at sea.
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Subcontinental Drift: Domestic Politics and India’s Foreign Policy
Rajesh Basrur book One of the most important developments in today’s changing international system is the emergence of India as a rising power. However, Rajesh Basrur finds that India is hobbled by serious domestic constraints. Subcontinental Drift explains why India’s foreign policy is often characterized by multiple hesitations, delays, and diversions that may ultimately hamper its rise. Basrur analyzes the concept of policy drift through the lens of neoclassical realist theory to reveal why this drift occurs so regularly in Indian foreign policy and how it affects India’s quest for major power status. Using four cases—the India-US strategic partnership, India-Sri Lanka relations, India’s nuclear strategy, and crossborder terrorism—Basrur identifies two basic explanations for India’s indecision on critical issues. The first, involuntary drift, is related to the distribution of domestic material power, while the second, voluntary drift, is produced by a responsibility deficit. Basrur develops a fresh theoretical basis for understanding the relationship between India’s foreign and domestic policies and introduces a series of theoretical refinements to neoclassical realism. Subcontinental Drift also provides advice on how policy makers might lower the costs of policy drift. This innovative analysis is essential to understanding the constraints around India’s foreign and domestic security decisions and how they will affect its rise.
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COVID-19 and Atrocity Prevention in East Asia
This edited volume examines the multifaceted impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on peoples and states in East Asia. The book brings together selected case studies in Southeast Asia and the wider East Asian region that analyse how states in the region have responded to the pandemic and its multi-dimensional threats to human security, including risks of atrocity crimes. In the context of protecting human security and upholding the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), the work analyses how such a consequential crisis has compounded socio-economic and political problems, exacerbated societal fault lines, and created new types of risks for people’s safety and security. Using the United Nations Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes: A Tool for Prevention, the book presents seven case studies that identify relevant risks factors confronting selected countries and the extent to which the global pandemic has magnified and/or exacerbated such risks for affected populations. It draws key lessons on how states should manage extant and emerging risks for atrocity crimes and how they can build and enhance their capabilities for preventing atrocities in both conflict-affected and relatively stable states, particularly within the context of Pillar 1 (prevention) and Pillar 2 (capacity building) of the R2P principle. This book will be of much interest to students of the Responsibility to Protect, humanitarian protection, Asian politics, International Relations, and Security studies.
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The War in Ukraine – One Year On
February 24 marked one year of the war in Ukraine. What should the global community take note of and what should be done? Read the recent perspectives from RSIS researchers.
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Reglobalisation and the Dynamics of Asia’s Security Order
“Reglobalisation and the Dynamics of Asia’s Security Order” was the subject of an RSIS Seminar held at The KeyPoint, RSIS, on 21 February 2023. Professor Nick Bisley spoke at the seminar. He is the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor of International Relations at La Trobe Univ ...
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Disaster Policy Reform in ASEAN 2003-2023: Progress and Challenges
Dr Jonatan Lassa; Senior Lecturer, Emergency & Disaster Management, Faculty of Arts and Society, Charles Darwin University, Australia; discussed the status of disaster policy in ASEAN, and offered insights into further improving the reform of these regional policies, at the RSIS seminar &# ...
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Engaging the Eagle
The United States Programme (USP) at RSIS launched “Engaging the Eagle – Exploring US Foreign Policy in Southeast Asia,” a podcast series aimed at exploring Washington’s contemporary ties with its Southeast Asian partners. In comparison to the array of podcasts on US strategy and competition w ...
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The REAIM Summit: A Multi-Stakeholder Approach towards Responsible AI in the Military
Taking place at the Hague, the Netherlands, on 15 and 16 February 2023, the Responsible AI in the Military Domain Summit (REAIM) gathered participants from various industries across the world; ranging from the government to the military, private sector, academia, and international organisation ...
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Planetary Health: An Interdisciplinary Research Initiative
The Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre) hosted the “Planetary Health Proposal Development Meeting” on 13th February 2023 at Orchard Hotel in Singapore. Planetary Health is an NTS Centre-led inter-disciplinary project funded by the NTU Social Science and Humanities Research ...
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Trust Tech: Definitions, Issues and Opportunities
On 6 January 2023, Professor Lam Kwok Yan, Associate Vice President for Strategy and Partnerships at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), delivered the RSIS webinar Trust Tech: Definitions, Issues and Opportunities. The webinar provided valuable insights into an emerging but impactful t ...
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Strengthening Institutional Links with the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
RSIS and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV) held a roundtable on 9 February 2023 at RSIS. The roundtable followed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between RSIS and the DAV on the sidelines of the visit of His Excellency Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic o ...
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India’s Defence Reforms and its Military Transformation
Given India’s recent impetus on reforming higher defence management and undertaking a military transformation, the South Asia Programme hosted a one-day workshop to study the direction, pace and nature of the reforms in India. The workshop was held on 7 February 2023, and was divided into thre ...
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Elite Nationalism and Territorial Disputes: Implications for East Asia and Southeast Asia
On 6 February 2023, RSIS hosted a Roundtable on “Elite Nationalism and Territorial Disputes: Implications for East Asia and Southeast Asia.” It was organised and chaired by Dr Su-Hyun Lee, Assistant Professor and the Coordinator of the MSc International Political Economy Programme. The key spe ...
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Buddhist Nationalism in Myanmar & Sri Lanka: Rhetoric, Responses, Challenges
The Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies Programme (SRP) held a webinar on 30 January 2023 titled “Buddhist Nationalism in Myanmar and Sri Lanka: Rhetoric, Responses, Challenges”. Convened and chaired by Assistant Professor Rafal Stepien, the panel featured two experts on t ...
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Between Foreign Policy and International Law: Indonesia’s Practice and Interpretation as an Archipelagic State under UNCLOS
Mr Aristyo Rizka Darmawan spoke on “Indonesia’s Practice and Interpretation as an Archipelagic State under UNCLOS” at an RSIS-organised seminar on 30 January 2023.  Mr Aristyo is the Programme Director of the Centre for Sustainable Ocean Policy and Lecturer in International Law at the Faculty ...
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RCRC-RSIS Climate Change, Environment and Humanitarian Action Workshop 2023
The RCRC-RSIS Climate Change, Environment and Humanitarian Action Workshop 2023 to discuss climate change impacts on the humanitarian sector and environmental crises in Southeast Asia, took place on 27 January. It was hosted online by RSIS, the Singapore Red Cross Society, the International Co ...
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Indonesia’s Defence and Security Outlook 2023
RSIS and Laboratorium Indonesia 2045 (LAB 45) conducted an online workshop on Indonesia’s Defence and Security Outlook 2023. The workshop explored three inter-related topics: Military Operations other than War (MOOTW); Indonesia’s defence modernisation; and the role of the defence indust ...
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The Trajectory of Malaysia’s Changing Dominant-party System
RSIS held a seminar on “The trajectory of Malaysia’s changing dominant-party system” on 16 January 2023. It was delivered by Dr Meredith Weiss, Visiting Senior Fellow, Malaysia Programme, RSIS and Professor of Political Science, State University of New York at Albany. The se ...
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Global Competition for Muslim Minds – Local Perspectives
On 11 January 2023, the Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme organised a roundtable discussion titled “Global Competition for Muslim Minds”. The discussion is part of a broader research project exploring the use of religion by Muslim-majority governments to ...
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Uzbekistan and Singapore: Prospects for Mutually Beneficial Partnership
To reaffirm friendly relations and discuss opportunities for more cooperation between Singapore and Uzbekistan, a roundtable was co-organised by RSIS, the International Institute for Central Asia and the Uzbekistan Embassy on 10 January 2023. The event also explored perspectives on enhancing i ...
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Malaysia’s 15th General Election Results: What It Means and Portends for the Future
Malaysia’s 15th General election (GE15), held on 19 November 2022, failed to produce a clear winner. The top two coalitions — Pakatan Harapan (PH) with 83 seats and Perikatan Nasional (PN) with 74 — have scrambled to reach a simple majority with other coalitions, chiefly, Barisan Nasional (BN) ...
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EDITOR
Kelyn Tng
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Adrian Chong
CONTRIBUTORS
Adhi Priamarizki
Kevin Chen Xian An
Margareth Sembiring
Nawaljeet Singh Rayar
Sarah Teo
Tan Teck Boon
Claribel Low
Kiera Chua
Muhammad Faizal Bin Abdul Rahman
Nishant Rajeev
Su-Hyun Lee
Wichuta Teeratanabodee
Jefferson Ng Jin Chuan
Luz Wendy Teodosio Noble
Muhammad Haziq Bin Jani
S. Nanthini
Sylvia Koh