S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies

02/06/2026

The international order is undergoing profound change. As strategic competition intensifies and long-standing assumptions about global leadership come under strain, countries are increasingly being called upon to navigate a more complex and unpredictable geopolitical landscape.

In this episode of In Conversation, Sir Robin Niblett examines the future of middle powers in an era of geopolitical uncertainty, discussing the impact of Trump 2.0 on alliances and international institutions, lessons from ASEAN, the importance of collective resilience, and what countries must do to realise their potential in a rapidly changing international order.

🎧 Tune in here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Y5BhApSi36ZCgqxB78AWr?si=31ba5ff446ae4e23

02/06/2026

The question is not so much about whether multilateralism will endure, but how it is evolving, say Sarah Teo and Jane Chan of RSIS.

The question is not so much about whether multilateralism will endure, but how it is evolving, say Sarah Teo and Jane Chan from the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

30/05/2026

Yesterday, Executive Deputy Chairman of RSIS, Ambassador Ong Keng Yong, hosted Mr Robert Kupiecki, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland and the Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who visited RSIS ahead of the Shangri-La Dialogue this weekend.

Accompanied by Ambassador Tadeusz Chomicki and Mr Jan Jakub Uziębło from the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Singapore, Mr Kupiecki and experts from RSIS held a wide-ranging discussion on current developments. These included the evolving security landscape in Asia, US-China relations and the security situation in Europe, as well as how research and policy intersect on contemporary security issues.

29/05/2026

The US-China rivalry is evolving into a competition between two energy systems: America’s fossil-fuel order and China’s renewable-energy industrial model. With battles over AI, critical minerals, maritime security, and Global South influence, this energy transition is essentially a broader geopolitical struggle over future global power.

Read more in RSIS Commentary “The Emerging US-China Energy Rivalry: Fossil Power vs Renewable Energy” by Tan Kong Yam, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the Nanyang Technological University and NTUC Endowed Professor at RSIS.

Click on the link below for the full commentary:
https://rsis.edu.sg/CO26116

29/05/2026

The annual Shangri-La Dialogue takes place this weekend, at a time when global affairs appear increasingly governed by raw power and direct bargaining 🌏 This year, Asian perspectives on security issues will be in the spotlight as defence officials gather in Singapore.

Read more in a commentary "The value of Shangri-La Dialogue in a world increasingly shaped by hard power" by Kevin Chen, Associate Research Fellow at the US Programme at RSIS.

Asian perspectives on security issues will be in the spotlight as defence officials gather in Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue, says Kevin Chen from the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

26/05/2026

From Afghanistan in the 1980s to Somalia in 2025, the role of Southeast Asian foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) has evolved and, in many ways, weakened over time. Drawing on case studies from Indonesia, Associate Research Fellow Adlini Ilma Ghaisany Sjah argues that recent attacks were more often enabled by FTFs operating from abroad rather than returning fighters themselves.

What does this shift mean for how governments should approach FTF repatriation policies today? Read more in this featured essay in the latest Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses (CTTA) to explore how the threat landscape is changing.

Read the latest CTTA issue here: https://rsis.edu.sg/CTTAV18I3

Read other issues in CTTA here: https://rsis.edu.sg/ctta/

25/05/2026

This policy report examines public perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) in Singapore, analysing how ethical engagement and socio-demographic factors shape attitudes.

Read more in "Ethical Engagement and Public Support for AI Governance in Singapore" by Ysa Marie Cayabyab and Karryl Kim Sagun Trajano here: rsis.edu.sg/PR260525

22/05/2026

Influential observers argue that the current world order is increasingly dominated by the social and political values of the far right. A major far-right influence is Russian Christofascism, whose religiously legitimised militant outlook has had not only domestic but also wider geopolitical implications. Grasping the contours of Russian Christofascism is thus important.

Read more in RSIS Commentary "Russian Christofascism and the Emergent Far Right World Order" by Dr Kumar Ramakrishna, Professor of National Security Studies; and President’s Chair in National Security Studies, Dean of S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and Research Adviser to International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research.

Click the link below for the full commentary:
https://rsis.edu.sg/CO26111

Photo credit: President of Russia

22/05/2026

Our heartiest congratulations to Dr Pascal Vennesson, Senior Fellow and Head of Research at RSIS, for his successful application for a General and Mrs. Matthew B. Ridgway Military History Research Grant to conduct research at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC)!

Dr Pascal will be conducting his research on “Command Intuition and Battlefield Effectiveness”; he will set out to test a new theory of command intuition that he labels “Command Intuition Theory.” Command intuition is a pattern-recognition-based thinking process that military leaders use when making force employment decisions under severe time pressure. Dr Pascal will test the theory using case studies of command decisions from the Peloponnesian War until the present day, and at USAHEC, will consult their relevant archival collections as well as their extensive specialised library collections on military leadership and command decisions!

Photo credit: The New York Public Library on Unsplash

21/05/2026

This commentary recommends establishing a joint regional launchpad for ASEAN to advance space cooperation across Southeast Asia. By combining Singapore’s technological strength with the launch ambitions of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, ASEAN can leverage its equatorial location to enhance climate monitoring, disaster response, and participation in the global space economy.

Read more in RSIS Commentary "Is a Regional Launchpad the Next Step for ASEAN’s Space Strategy?" by Ramprasad Sowmitra and Zhang Anqi.

Click the link below for the full commentary:
https://rsis.edu.sg/rsis-publication/rsis/co26110/

Image credit: ASEAN NOC