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DYNAMICS OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION IN SOUTH ASIA: LESSONS FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
Full text linkRegional integration is aimed at promoting socioeconomic growth and development in a region through economic cooperation among the member states. The European Union (EU) was established to promote economic and political cooperation among member countries. EU’s unprecedented success in regional integration offers lessons for other regions. Unlike the EU, SAARC has not been successful in achieving significant economic integration among member states. Despite its potential, SAARC has been plagued by political and economic differences among member states, especially between Pakistan and India. South Asian countries are unable to boost regional integration not only because of their political differences but also due to other sub-regional and trans-regional initiatives that run anti to the spirit of regional integration under the umbrella of SAARC. India’s role towards regional integration in South Asia is considered significant being the leading nation in the region. This paper first identifies the economic and political factors that hinder regional integration in South Asia. Then, it focuses on the dynamics of successful regional integration in Europe intending to underline the lessons to be learned by the South Asian countries to boost their regional cooperation.
Bibliography Entry
Niaz, Muhammad Tariq and Muhammad Riaz Shad. 2023. "Dynamics of Regional Integration in South Asia: Lessons from the European Union." Margalla Papers 27 (2): 85-101
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S NUCLEAR POSTURE REVIEW AND AMERICAN NUCLEAR POLICY: A CRITICAL OVERVIEW
Full text linkThe US Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) has been an important document detailing the US administration\u27s policy preferences since its first issuance in 1994. Biden administration released its NPR in October 2022, which identifies nuclear rivals and focus areas examining the role of nuclear weapons in overall US strategy. Using the historical research method and open-source information, the paper provides an overview of the US strategic calculus on nuclear weapons since 1945, focusing on post-Cold War developments and how its nuclear policy and strategy evolved. The paper argues that despite advocating for nuclear disarmament, US presidents stayed within lip service and kept enhancing the US nuclear stockpile. It also highlights that President Trump’s decisions adversely affected US nuclear weapons policy and global security and that President Biden’s NPR would follow the route rather than fulfil his campaign promises. The paper has three parts: the first deals with US nuclear policy during the Cold War; the second looks at the policy during the post-Cold War era from President Bush Senior to President Biden. The third and final part critically analyses the overall nuclear policy challenges faced by the Biden Administration and how it might address them.
Bibliography Entry
Zeb, Rizwan. 2023. "Biden Administration’s Nuclear Posture Review and American Nuclear Policy: A Critical Overview" Margalla Papers 27 (1): 53-66
THE CHARM OFFENSIVE OF CHINA: ASSESSING THE ROLE OF DIGITAL SILK ROAD IN FOSTERING SINO-EU ECONOMIC INTEGRATION
Full text linkDigital Silk Road, like Belt and Road Initiative, is an ambitious and all-encompassing inventiveness of the Chinese government, aiming to develop China as a global telecommunications network and infrastructure leader. The Global Digital order, since its inception, has been dominated by Western powers; however, with the initiation of the Digital Silk Road and China becoming a digital backbone globally, many Western powers have shown disregard for how this digital hegemony of China can be a threat to their national security. Nonetheless, besides the security implications, the Digital Silk Road brings many strategic opportunities. This paper, thus, looks into how China is advocating a softer image of itself through its Charm Offensive diplomacy and influencing actors involved in Digital Silk Road – specifically the EU – to cooperate with China vis-à-vis Digital Silk Road. This study uses qualitative and thematic analysis to determine how China and the EU can ward off the strategic implications and collaborate to build a more inclusive digital economy.
Bibliography Entry
Farhat, Laraib. 2023. "The Charm Offensive of China: Assessing the Role of Digital Silk Road in Fostering Sino-EU Economic Integration." Margalla Papers 27 (1): 109-122
BOOK REVIEW: CHIP WAR: THE FIGHT FOR THE WORLD\u27S MOST CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY
No full textChris Miller is the author of the book titled "Chip War: The Fight for the World\u27s Most Critical Technology”. Currently, he is an Associate Professor of International History at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. His area of interest includes geopolitics, international affairs, technology, economics, and Russia.
Bibliography Entry
Riaz, Haadia. 2023. "Chip War: The Fight for the World\u27s Most Critical Technology." Margalla Papers 27 (2): 129-131
EU FAST TRACK MEMBERSHIP: CAN IT HELP UKRAINE RESOLVE ITS REAL PROBLEMS?
Full text linkIn 1991, during its inception process, Ukraine faced Russia\u27s territorial claims and a cold reception from the Western world towards its leadership. After evaluating its internal and external interests, Ukraine chose to sign a friendship and cooperation agreement with Russia, compromising its rights as a sovereign state. This decision kept the complex issues of cross-border irredentism and multiple identities in check. However, during the democratic transition, external actors got involved in Ukraine\u27s domestic politics, resulting in the removal of President Yanukovych\u27s government. This critical juncture set the trajectory for unleashing Ukraine\u27s state-ness issues. External involvement and political mismanagement aggravated Ukraine\u27s problems and transformed its political issues into state-legitimacy issues, making its claim of a single entity void. Without state legitimacy, Ukraine cannot join the EU or consolidate as a democracy. Even if it enters the EU, it cannot safeguard its state sovereignty or achieve a profitable deal. This post-positivist research uses process tracing within a case study to highlight Ukraine\u27s real problems and whether EU membership can help resolve them. The best solution for Ukraine is to focus on its domestic issues and negotiate with the other actor for a peaceful solution.
Bibliography Entry
Siddiqi, Houma. 2023. "EU Fast Track Membership: Can It Help Ukraine Resolve Its Real Problems?" Margalla Papers 27 (1): 13-27
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS OVERRIDING THE NON-PROLIFERATION PRIORITIES: AN ANALYSIS OF INDO-US CIVIL NUCLEAR DEAL
Full text linkThe study has reviewed a critical question of how great powers override non-proliferation priorities at times of strategic considerations by creating ease out of their international obligations. In 2008, the Bush Administration entered a strategic understanding with India to enhance cooperation in the nuclear field that paved the way for civilian nuclear trade with New Delhi and carefully crafted the power dynamics favouring India. This study finds out that the so-called ‘Non-proliferation Enhancement Act’ provided an undue advantage to India over Pakistan, thus forcing Islamabad to improve the effectiveness and outreach of her strategic assets to mitigate the apprehensive threshold. Although the nuclearisation of South Asia was implicated in the non-proliferation regime, it ensured strategic balance in the region and shall continue to do so in the national security calculations. The Indo-US nuclear cooperation continues to haunt the dynamics of nuclear parity that concurrently possess serious security implications for Pakistan by allowing India to manipulate the threshold. Therefore, this paper investigates the genesis of the Indo-US deal, the geostrategic and commercial interests of major powers underpinning this deal, implications for Pakistan, steps taken by Pakistan so far and the way forward. The study is deductive and has contested the assumption of the nuclear non-proliferation regime as a theoretical framework.
Bibliography Entry
Sargana, Tauqeer Hussain. 2023. "Strategic Considerations Overriding the Non-Proliferation Priorities: An Analysis of Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal." Margalla Papers 27 (1): 40-52
STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITY, SECURITY DILEMMA AND THE INTERPLAY OF INTERESTS: RUSSIA, CHINA AND THE US IN THE ARCTIC REGION SINCE 2014
Full text linkThe Northern Pole\u27s polar ice is melting at an alarming rate due to climate change, significantly impacting the region\u27s strategic landscape. The potential for economic growth and increasing security competition has led Russia, China and the US to ramp up their politico-military activities in the region. This research paper uses a qualitative method that explores the changing geopolitics of the region through a structural realist approach to examine the strategic interests and opportunities of these three countries in the Arctic. The study sheds light on how climate change has affected the region\u27s geopolitical and geostrategic effects and how these countries compete for influence in the area, leading to mounting concerns and policy shifts. The paper shows how Russia takes a realist approach; China enhances its influence through a developmental approach, while the US tries to increase its power to counter the influence of Russia and China in the region. Additionally, the paper explains how the interplay of interests in the region is associated with the offence-defence balance and security dilemmas resulting from the neorealist behaviour of these states.
Bibliography Entry
Mushtaq, Shireen, Uswa Sharif and Rida Fatima. 2023. "Strategic Opportunity, Security Dilemma and the Interplay of Interests: Russia, China and the US in the Arctic Region Since 2014." Margalla Papers 27 (1): 67-81
ROLE OF MARITIME STRATEGY IN RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY: A CASE STUDY OF BLACK SEA
Full text linkRussia is using the Black Sea as a diplomatic tool in its foreign policy to achieve its maritime and foreign policy objectives, which are also linked with the country\u27s strategic culture. This research investigates the significance of the Black Sea in Russia\u27s Maritime Strategy for achieving its foreign policy objectives by using the balance of interest theory. This research employs two conceptual schemas. Firstly, with the help of maritime diplomacy, it analyses a tool to achieve foreign policy objectives in the waters. Secondly, the research uses the concept of strategic culture, which helps explore the diplomatic importance of the Black Sea in Russian foreign policy through the perspective of history and attitudes of decision-makers. This research highlights the case of the Black Sea for Russian maritime strategy, which also has a great economic significance for the region and world. It also highlights the importance of the Black Sea in the Russian maritime doctrine (2022) and links between maritime strategic culture and foreign policy objectives. It concludes that Russia is successfully pursuing its cooperative, coercive, and persuasive maritime diplomacy in the Black Sea region by providing humanitarian assistance, blocking Ukrainian access, and operating a stronghold at Sevastopol port as its naval base. In conclusion, this paper argues that strategic culture plays a vital role in employing the three diplomatic dimensions for achieving maritime objectives in the Black Sea.
Bibliography Entry
Fatima Sherazi, Anees. 2023. "Role of Maritime Strategy in Russian Foreign Policy: A Case Study of Black Sea." Margalla Papers 27 (2): 115-124
BOOK REVIEW: DIVIDED: WHY WE\u27RE LIVING IN AN AGE OF WALLS
No full textDivided is all about creating walls, their perceived necessity and their impact. Deep divisions based on wealth, race, religion and politics are the reasons behind barriers preventing violence and maintaining defence. Tim Marshall stated that in this world, there have always been boundaries, ranging from small scale to larger ones. Physical boundaries are mostly demarcated on maps and the ground, and movement through them is restricted. Barriers at every level create a \u27US\u27 vs \u27THEM\u27 mentality and are somehow crucial for the promotion of national identity. Thousands of miles of walls and fences have been built worldwide in the twenty-first century. The growing higher walls and barriers are reshaping the world. The author has discussed barriers in China, the US, Israel-Palestine, the Middle East, the Subcontinent, Africa, Europe and the UK
BOOK REVIEW: I, WARBOT: THE DAWN OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENT CONFLICT
No full textPayne\u27s work is impressively precise and insightful, leading readers through the hype surrounding technology and the talk of a robotic revolution, particularly in the military realm. The book delves into the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems and warfare. With the current use of autonomous drones and robotic tanks on the battlefield, AI is reshaping armed conflicts, and military leaders and policymakers are relying on data analysis to make decisions. These AI-based machines are changing the way humans approach warfare, resulting in an increased likelihood of conflicts