Opinion

Bebas-aktif (“free and active”) foreign policy is a concept that Indonesia has been promoting for a long time and is not a policy of affiliating with major powers, but at the same time helping to ensure regional stability. But this doctrine is taking a turn for President Prabowo Subianto. Jakarta is working on closer economic ties with China and at …

The world of work has changed, and working remotely and flexibly with people across time zones and borders has become much easier. Teleworking has become commonplace, as platforms like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zoom, Google Meet and Workplace messaging have helped workers stay connected throughout the pandemic. The benefits of these tools to jobs and job processes have definitely brought …

The original concept of social media was to bring people together, to entertain, to inspire digital creativity. However, with time they have evolved into something much more sophisticated. Apps like TikTok are supposed to come across and acknowledge crises in real-time, in situations that match more closely to those of public safety than standard content moderation. But as technology becomes …

A revolution in education sparked by the rise of Generative AI has opened one of the biggest debates of our time. As universities in Asia grapple with the question of AI in the classroom, the extent of integration is currently becoming a matter of debate. AI tools for research, writing, coding, translation, and tutoring are increasingly being used by students, …

The Khmer Kroms were the ruling regime of some of the darkest chapters in modern history from 1975 to 1979 under the rule of Pol Pot. In its ruthless years of rule an estimated 1.7-2 million Cambodians perished at the hands of the Khmer Krom Krom, forced labour, starvation and torture.  But, perhaps even more shocking than the genocide, was …

The focus for decades has been on the Belt and Road Initiative which in the Middle East and Africa has been associated with the construction of ports, railways, highways and power plants. Beijing’s rising world presence was adorned with large-scale infrastructure ventures, which sought to tie together markets in space with the creation of physical trade corridors. But a new …

One of the central themes in discussions of Iraq for decades has been conflict, instability, and geopolitical rivalry. However, Baghdad tries to rewrite that story. With the $17-20-billion Development Road Project and the expansion of the world-class port of Grand Faw, Iraq is emerging as the next great logistics and commodity trading hub in the Middle East, and one that …

The Afghan government, along with others, has described Afghanistan as a land bridge between Central Asia and the Arabian Sea and so that is what it has wanted to be for many years. Proposed Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan Railway and larger Trans-Afghan Corridor represent that vision, and its impact will importantly change the landscape of regional commerce.  But the frequent closure of Afghanistan-Pakistan …

The tensions with Iran are no longer an issue just in the Middle East region. The impact it has wrought is now being noticed on Pakistan’s western frontier, in particular, the Pakistani Balochistan which is deeply interdependent with developments on the 900-kilometers-long border. Islamabad is facing a bilateral challenge along different lines than just diplomatic issues and more of a …

Geopolitical tensions can easily affect today’s global economy, and the negative consequences can quickly travel thousands of miles to supermarket shelves and fuel stations. Shipping lines, commodity markets and the financial system are all easily affected. 2026 is a reminder to Southeast Asia about the value of geopolitical stability to economic security. The region’s increased reliance on imported energy and …