Balochistan in 2026: Insurgency, Security and CPEC

Pakistan’s Balochistan faces a renewed insurgency in 2026, with major attacks, military operations, China’s security concerns and growing political tensions. Balochistan has emerged as one of Pakistan’s most difficult security challenges in 2026, with a renewed wave of militant violence testing the state’s ability to secure a vast and strategically important province. The year began with coordinated attacks claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), followed by a large Pakistani military response. Further clashes and attacks have contin…

What happens when one of the world's most important energy chokepoints becomes a bargaining chip in a stalled peace process? Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply, with only six vessels recorded crossing the waterway on Monday as hopes for a U.S.-Iran agreement fade. The disruption is again putting energy security, maritime trade and regional stability under pressure. Strait of Hormuz Shipping Falls to Six Vessels Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped to levels far below normal as diplomatic effort…

China Missile Test Exposes Pacific Security Divide

China’s Pacific missile test has exposed divisions among island nations as Australia, the U.S. and regional partners debate the future of Indo-Pacific security. What happens when a military test by one of the world's largest nuclear powers collides with a region determined to remain an “Ocean of Peace”? China's recent ballistic-missile test into the Pacific has become more than a demonstration of military capability. It has exposed deep divisions among Pacific island nations over how they should respond to the growing strategic competi…

U.S. Urges Asian Allies to Spend More on Defense as Washington Reinforces Indo-Pacific Strategy

Pentagon official Elbridge Colby urges Asian allies to spend more on defense as Washington strengthens deterrence across the Indo-Pacific. Can the United States maintain a credible military balance in Asia without asking its allies to carry more of the burden? Washington increasingly believes the answer is no. U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby has urged Asian allies to invest more heavily in their own militaries, arguing that the future of Indo-Pacific deterrence will depend on a network of capable regional partners rat…