Commentary

  It is entirely possible that 2026 will be the most consequential year in American Asia policy in recent decades. President Donald Trump’s planned April trip to Beijing and subsequent meetings with Xi Jinping will attempt to reshape almost a decade of bipartisan competitive approaches to the PRC, with significant second and third order consequences […]

In the backdrop of the U.S. National Security Strategy prioritizing the Western Hemisphere, American military action in Venezuela, U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts at rapprochement with China and Russia, and the administration’s inconsistent relationships with treaty allies and partners in Europe and Indo-Pacific, there is intensified speculation about whether the world is heading towards a

The Asia Group partnered with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), the leading defense and aerospace industry body in India, to develop a report on enhancing defense exports from India. Titled ‘Mapping Opportunities in India’s Defence Exports’, the report was released by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the SIDM Annual Session and Champion

Key Takeaways   Southeast Asia’s accelerating energy demand from data centers and electrification amid broad economic growth is creating structural pressure on power supply portfolios. Governments’ increasing focus on securing low-carbon, baseload power sources are creating new opportunities for civil nuclear energy, particularly small modular reactors (SMRs). SMR adoption in Asia will be a long-term

Counter-Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS) and the Protection of Critical Infrastructure Australia’s ability to protect its critical infrastructure from nefarious drones is entering a decisive moment. This report highlights how the Australian government must move faster to counter rapidly evolving drone threats in the non-military realm – and how it can draw on U.S., UK, and EU best

Scorecard Table Japan is pursuing the most ambitious defense expansion in its postwar history—yet it faces fiscal, political, and alliance-management headwinds. The scorecard below provides TAG’s snapshot assessment of Japan’s evolving defense policy at a critical time for its bilateral relationship with the United States and Indo-Pacific regional security. We made the evaluation using three

Key Takeaways U.S. trade negotiations appear far from complete after the August 1 deadline: The Trump administration has announced trade deals with the UK, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, the EU, South Korea and Pakistan. Additionally, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled an executive order on July 31 imposing reciprocal tariffs of 10-40 percent on around

Key Takeaways  Global companies can no longer assume insulation from geopolitical dynamics. Instead, firms must integrate geopolitics into the core of corporate decision-making to thrive in today’s increasingly fragmented and politically charged environment.  The Asia Group (TAG) introduces the concept of the “GeoCommercial Era” to describe a new operating reality where commerce and geopolitics are

Key Takeaways Critical Minerals Have Become the Flashpoint to Watch in the U.S.-China Trade War: The latest round of U.S.-China negotiations in London has renewed focus on the fragility of global mineral supply chains and the strategic risks posed by China’s dominance in processing. Even with signs of de-escalation, the talks highlight how critical mineral dependencies