Issue Brief on “Constrained Strategic Hedging: Russia’s Role in the 2026 Iran Conflict”
The 2026 conflict between Iran and the U.S.–Israel alignment marks a shift from a primarily regional confrontation to a broader geopolitical crisis with implications...
Issue Brief on “Climate change and the Sir Creek Dispute”
Introduction
Sir Creek is a narrow tidal estuary in the marshlands of the Rann of Kutch, between Sindh and Gujarat. Its delimitation and the associated...
Issue Brief on “India’s Indo-Pacific Strategy in 2025: Assessing Hurdles and Developments”
Introduction
The Indo-Pacific, which spans the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean is increasingly becoming an area of growing strategic importance. The region is...
Issue Brief on “Why Iraq Matters in the New Middle East: Strategic Competition and...
Introduction
The Middle East is undergoing one of its most significant geopolitical transformations in decades. The Gaza conflict, the evolution of Iran-Arab relations, a resurgence...
Issue Brief on “India’s Rising Defense Spending Post 2025 Crisis: Strategic Logic and Implications...
Introduction
A significant increase in India’s defense spending has been observed since 2020. Previously, this continuous rise in the defense budget was attributed to military...
Issue Brief on “The Economic and Security Fallout of U.S. Sanctions on Iran: Assessing...
For many years, U.S. sanctions against Iran have been a key component of Washington’s foreign policy, particularly after Tehran’s nuclear programme became a major...
Strategic Studies (Vol. 46, Summer 2026, No. 1)
Articles
From Iran’s Strategic Patience to Active Deterrence: Doctrinal Transformation and the Reordering of West Asian Security
Syed Qandil Abbas and Syeda Hudaisa Kazmi
Contested Restraint: Compellence,...
From Iran’s Strategic Patience to Active Deterrence: Doctrinal Transformation and the Reordering of...
Abstract
The 2026 Iran war has immensely impacted the West Asian security order. Differences between the United States (U.S.) and Israel with Iran are more...
Contested Restraint: Compellence, Deterrence and the Pahalgam Crisis
Abstract
The April-May 2025 Pahalgam crisis offers an insight into the dynamic crisis behaviour of a nuclearised South Asia. Against this backdrop, the study analyses...
Elite Pluralism and Instability in Afghanistan
Abstract
Afghanistan’s political landscape is defined by a multiethnic and competitive elite structure. Rival factions comprising tribal leaders, warlords, and political figures exploit ethnic identity...
