ROBOTIC REPLICATION OF LIVING THINGS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR WARFARE

The paper discusses nature-inspired robotic replications, their potential military applications, implications for warfare, and the perspective of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Historically, animals have been used in war, helping to turn the tide of battles and the fortunes of many combat soldiers. However, in modern times, there is a growing interest in replicating characteristics of natural creatures in AI-enabled robotics for military purposes. Key mechanics of natural systems, such as manoeuvrability, agility, and aerodynamics, as well as intelligence factors like coordination, swarming, task sharing, and cooperation, have inspired the development of military robots. These robots, equipped with the instinct of survivability alongside features such as self-organization, self-adaptability, and self-learning, are well-suited to navigate the battlefield\u27s challenges and engage in warfare despite the inherent unpredictability and chaos involved. By leveraging the evolutionary advantages of nature, military robots can enhance their effectiveness through biomimicry, as they tend to be more adaptable to unforeseen scenarios. This increased adaptability improves their ability to learn and evolve in response to environmental changes, thereby significantly enhancing mission outcomes.  The findings of this research show that, in addition to presenting significant moral, ethical, and legal challenges, rapid advancements lead to the militarization of nature and significantly alter the nature of warfare.  The study also provides recommendations for an international consensus on legally binding instruments.   Bibliography Entry Ullah, Atta and Sher Ali Kakar. 2025. "Robotic Replication of Living Things and Implications for Warfare." Margalla Papers 29 (1): 80-95

SINO-INDIAN MILITARY AND BORDER DISPUTES INCLUDING THE 1962 WAR: IMPLICATIONS AND LESSONS FOR PAKISTAN

The study aims to explore China-India disputes, their implications and lessons for Pakistan. Since 1960, China and India have border disputes that have led to several clashes. The genesis of border tensions can be attributed to India’s aggressive posture through the Forward Policy. China does not accept the McMahon Line and claims Arunachal Pradesh. India does not accept the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector and claims the complete Aksai Chin as part of India. Unfavourable settlement of the dispute in the Eastern Sector has grave strategic implications. Aksai Chin in the West is at the crossroads of politically sensitive regions and holds military significance as a launch pad. Despite years of conflict and unsettled border issues, both countries have remained engaged in economic activities, with China being India’s top trading partner since 2008. Border disputes based on competing claims, India’s approach towards neighbours, and the nature of relations are likely to be competitive. Both countries have signed multiple agreements to manage their border disputes; however, implementation remains limited due to mistrust.   Bibliography Entry Baig, Sheraz, Syed Umad Ul Hassan and Habib Ullah Khan Afridi. 2025. "Sino-Indian Military and Border Disputes including the 1962 War: Implications and Lessons for Pakistan." Margalla Papers 29 (2): 17-32

GREAT POWER RIVALRY IN A CHANGING INTERNATIONAL ORDER

The article aimed to comprehensively analyse the great powers\u27 rivalries in the current international political and geopolitical landscape, which may be leading to a changing global order. Great Power in the Changing International Order refers to the intensifying competition and conflict among the major powers, especially the US, China, and Russia. It covers various issues such as trade, technology, security, human rights and global governance. The emergence of this rivalry has challenged the existing international order, shaped mainly by the US and its allies after the Cold War. It has created new opportunities and risks for the middle and smaller powers caught between the great-power axis. The latter half of the 20th century saw a shift toward a multipolar world due to globalisation, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and technological advances. However, the 19th and 20th centuries were marked by the dynamic nature of multipolarity, with periods of stability and instability. The receding US influence, the rise of other power centres, and the transition from geopolitics to geoeconomics are among the main factors driving the transition in the world order.   Bibliography Entry Permpul, Thanai, Abdeel Kadir Bello, Ahmad Abdalaziz Alnusfir and Meshal Abdullah Salman Almaliki. 2025. "Great Power Rivalry in a Changing International Order." Margalla Papers 29 (2): 54-67

CHINA’S SLOW CONSUMPTION AND THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE BARRIERS: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE EXPORT-LED MODEL OF ECONOMIC GROWTH

China’s export-led framework is experiencing internal and external challenges. Domestically, consumption has soared since early 2023, while the escalating trade barriers from the West have intensified challenges to export- and production-driven growth. Overreliance on exports and investment highlights the need for sustainable consumption at home and a stable trade regime abroad; however, in recent years, China has countered difficulties in both realms. While the binary of internal and external challenges is affecting the growth strategy, it can be an opportunity to catalyse the change China’s economy needs for sustainable growth. It is to be evaluated whether the intersection of an internal consumption slump and an external trade barrier can induce a change towards a more sustainable model for China’s economy. Therefore, this paper will discuss these two factors and analyse their potential implications for China’s export-led economic growth model.   Bibliography Entry Malik, Ayesha A. and Jugnoo Aijaz. 2025. "China’s Slow Consumption and the International Trade Barriers: Implications for the Export-Led Model of Economic Growth." Margalla Papers 29 (2): 93-108

INDO-US STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT IN THE INDO-PACIFIC: CHALLENGES AND CHOICES FOR PAKISTAN

This article examines the implications of the Indo-US strategic partnership for Pakistan\u27s security and foreign policy choices. Because of their shared security interests, the United States and India have aligned to contain China\u27s rise in the Indo-Pacific Region (IPR).  This partnership raises India’s power, status, and overall influence in the region compared to Pakistan. Considering the long rivalry between India and Pakistan—rooted in ideological, historical, and territorial disputes—this partnership raises the prospects of conflict in South Asia. Additionally, Pakistan-China-India and Pakistan-China-US triangulated relationships add layers of complexity, further diminishing the prospects for cooperation and peace, as a bilateral conflict between any two countries tends to involve the third. The complexities of the first triangle create a security dilemma, mutual distrust, and rivalry among the three regional powers, which, in turn, complicate the relationships within the second triangle. It is argued that the Indo-US partnership complicates Pakistan\u27s security dilemma, heightens the arms race, raises the prospects of conflicts, and encourages Pakistan to align with China closely.   Bibliography Entry Khan, Aamir Hussain and Muhammad Arif Khan 2025. "Indo-US Strategic Alignment in the Indo-Pacific: Challenges and Choices for Pakistan." Margalla Papers 29 (2): 1-16

EMERGING SECURITY ARCHITECTURE IN ASIA PACIFIC: IMPACT ON PAKISTAN

The evolving security paradigm in the Asia-Pacific is closely tied to the intensification of great power rivalry. Many nations are pursuing hedging strategies to protect their interests and guard against the fallout of the competition between major powers. A new equation has emerged with China’s ascent on the world stage, positioning Asia to become the hub of geopolitics. The United States (US) views China’s rise and Russia’s resurgence as challenges to its dominance in a unipolar world. Washington is establishing a security arc, evident in initiatives such as AUKUS, QUAD, Squad, and others, across the Asia-Pacific and beyond, in partnership with its Asian and Oceanian/Pacific allies to counter Beijing’s rise. The US Strategic Defence documents (National Security Strategy 2017, National Defense Strategy 2018, and Indo-Pacific Strategy 2022) have already emphasised the containment of China through the militarisation of Asia-Pacific. It also alluded to the transferring of critical technologies and growth in foreign alliances and regional partnerships. Washington’s repositioning in the region and its support for India as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean and beyond, through defence cooperation, have heightened concerns for Pakistan, which is already situated in a challenging geostrategic neighbourhood and has contentious relations with its eastern neighbour, India. Moreover, the US has accorded India a prominent position at the regional and global level to enforce its great power ambitions in the future. This will have far-reaching implications for Pakistan. The paper employs a qualitative research method based on a secondary assessment of academic sources.    Bibliography Entry Khan, Muhammad Nawaz. 2025. "Emerging Security Architecture in Asia Pacific: Impact on Pakistan." Margalla Papers 29 (1): 113-134

DEVELOPMENT OF JOINT CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR (CBRN) RESPONSE CAPABILITY IN SOUTH ASIA: CURRENT STATUS & FUTURE PROSPECTS

Protection against the consequences and impacts of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) events remains a top concern in the national and international security framework of nation-states around the globe. The growing threats in the CBRN domain warrant attention to enhance capabilities for an effective CBRN response. The South Asian region requires even more comprehensive and integrated efforts to establish a mechanism for addressing these threats, given the region\u27s complex geostrategic and security dynamics. The area lacks a well-developed coordination mechanism for sharing information and addressing cross-border contamination scenarios in the event of a CBRN incident. This paper aims to explore potential areas of cooperation, integration, and coordinated action among South Asian states at the regional level. A doable framework is proposed to develop joint regional capabilities for prevention, improved preparedness, and incident response strategies. It will focus on integrating the communication mechanism between the regulatory institutions of the participating states. It is emphasized that cooperation among states is crucial for practical accident assessments and the coherence of responses, which are essential for preventing CBRN events. It will help ensure the unified implementation of protective action plans, independent of national border lines, to effectively respond to CBRN incidents that could have critical regional and international implications.   Bibliography Entry Choudary, Saman and Muhammad Usman Asghar. 2025. "Development of Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Response Capability in South Asia: Current Status & Future Prospects." Margalla Papers 29 (1): 96-112

PAKISTAN’S NATIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGES AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IMPLICATIONS FOR DEFENCE SYSTEM

This paper explores the emerging challenges confronting conventional security paradigms, with a primary focus on the threats posed to the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) through an analytical framework and advancements in military technology. The manuscript examines the intricate relationship between remunerative financial stability and the state’s internal defence. The declining financial conditions pose a significant threat to various facets of societal functioning, and the reliance of national security on a robust economy is observable in the current geopolitical landscape. National security is a fundamental prerequisite for preserving state sovereignty, facilitated by strategically utilising economic resources, diplomatic engagement, military power projection, and political influence. The notion of national security is inherently dynamic, continually evolving in response to a shifting global environment. The fundamental state absorption is impossible to safeguard solely by the defence system\u27s might, particularly when economic development is overlooked. This paper scrutinises Pakistan\u27s deterrence strategy alongside the most significant conventional security threat posed by India, utilising a framework focused on the evolution of armament systems regarding catastrophic capabilities and enhancements in range, unmanned aerial vehicles, satellite surveillance, and other pertinent technologies. This paper examines the relationship between military fiscal allocations and economic development, considering both the presence and absence of armed conflicts (internal and external), with a focus on Pakistan and India. Ultimately, the paper examines potential strategies to address emerging security threats.   Bibliography Entry Ashraf, Sadia. 2025. "Pakistan’s National Security Challenges and Economic Growth Implications for Defence System." Margalla Papers 29 (1): 1-17

MODI GOVERNMENT’S HYBRID STRATEGIC POSTURE: IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL SECURITY OF PAKISTAN

Over the period, the strategic approach adopted by India towards Pakistan has characteristically recalibrated and modelled around compellence, lawfare and diplomacy. The paper examines New Delhi’s evolving posture under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who emphasises a more audacious framework and has shifted how it manages regional security and bilateral tensions with Pakistan. Hence, it examines how it has affected Pakistan\u27s internationality. This study draws on regional security literature, i.e., Hybrid warfare, Compellence, Diplomacy, and Law fare, to critically assess the underlying logic of India/Modi’s posture and its implications for crisis stability in the South Asian region. Moreover, this paper contextualises sequences of state actions over time, including across the Line of Control (LoC), legislative changes in Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJ&K), and coercive diplomatic engagements in multilateral forums, as part of a strategic signalling approach. Within this compellence, diplomacy, and lawfare lens, state actions empirically validate and support the literature on “hybrid warfare architecture” as an all-encompassing theoretical framework for 21st-century conflict characterised by multi-model strategic competition. Thus, the study explores whether these developments represent an enduring, strategically planned, tactically calculated and deliberately initiated transformation or merely a context-based response to security and internationality-related challenges for Pakistan. Lastly, the current integrative approach enhances conceptual clarity and promotes cross-domain analysis. The governance perspective examines the broader implications for Pakistan’s diplomatic manoeuvrability, deterrence, development and the future trajectory of Pakistan/Modi-India relations in a nuclearised environment.   Bibliography Entry Mirza, Sulman Naeem. 2025. "Modi Government’s Hybrid Strategic Posture: Implications for National Security of Pakistan." Margalla Papers 29 (2): 146-171

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF COUNTER-VIOLENT EXTREMISM STRATEGIES IN SOUTH ASIA AND AFRICA: LESSONS AND PATHWAYS FOR SUSTAINABLE SECURITY

This article examines the threat of violent extremism and terrorism in South Asia and Africa, comparing counter-violent extremism (CVE) strategies to identify effective measures for sustainable security. It explores the sociopolitical, economic, and cultural factors driving radicalisation and terrorist activities in both regions. South Asian countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India face extremism fuelled by historical grievances, political instability, and religious ideologies. In Africa, nations such as Nigeria, Somalia, and Kenya contend with groups like Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab, exacerbated by poverty, governance issues, and ethnic conflicts. The study aims to highlight successful interventions and the limitations of existing approaches, emphasizing the role of international organizations and regional bodies in shaping CVE efforts. By fostering collaboration between South Asia and Africa, the research seeks to develop comprehensive strategies to address the root causes of violent extremism and promote long-term peace and stability.   Bibliography Entry Minko, Abraham Ename. 2025. "Comparative Analysis of Counter-Violent Extremism Strategies in South Asia and Africa: Lessons and Pathways for Sustainable Security." Margalla Papers 29 (1): 55-79