On 23 April 2025, India temporarily suspended the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan, citing national security concerns following the Pahalgam attack by a supposedly Pakistan-based militant group. This move, rooted in deepening political and hydrological tensions, marks a significant rupture in one of the world’s most resilient water-sharing frameworks. This Alert explores this unprecedented development from a strategic and water cooperation perspective.
The WMO (World Meteorological Organization) State of the Climate in Asia 2024 Report presents a clear and data-rich account of how Asia is being affected by accelerating climate change. Asia continues to warm nearly twice as fast as the global average. From glacier retreat to deadly floods, the report details the cascading consequences of climate extremes on human lives, economies, and ecosystems across the region.
Global background:
The Bay of Bengal faces escalating climate-induced risks, including cyclones, floods, and sea-level rise, affecting nearly a quarter of the global population. These shared vulnerabilities underscore the urgent need for more effective, cooperative humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) systems. This report, based on a Track 1.5 policy workshop held in October 2024 in Bangkok, presents a framework for operationalising regional harmonisation in HA/DR planning and response.
Article published by the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence, July 2025.
NATO Allies are undergoing a significant transformation in electricity usage, driven by the rapid electrification of military platforms, digital systems, and infrastructure. This shift, while necessary for modernization and operational superiority, introduces complex dependencies on national energy systems and markets.
The Indian Ocean Region (IOR), spanning from the east coast of Africa to the west coast of Australia, contains around 36 countries and a population of approximately 2.5 billion. The IOR has been a critical crossroads of international trade for centuries and remains so. The security and stability of its shipping lanes and trade routes—passing through the Straits of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb, and Malacca, among others—are not only regional issues but issues of global importance.
Briefer published by the Council on Strategic Risks, June 2025.
Military occupations, distinct from active conflict, pose sustained, often underrecognized threats to ecological security. As modern occupations grow increasingly protracted, the imperative to balance military necessity with environmental stewardship and the rights of occupied peoples becomes more urgent.
Published by the European Commission, June 2025.
Fact Sheet published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), June 2025.
Report published by the Environment & Development Resource Centre (EDRC), May 2025.
The European Commission’s Clean Industrial Deal (CID) seeks to accelerate industrial decarbonization, reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports and reinforce economic resilience through stronger technological innovation. Part of this strategy concerns boosting industrial production at home, but with reduced dependency on imported fossil fuels. Enhanced domestic manufacturing is also needed to ramp up Europe’s defence capabilities.
