ASIAN Journal of International Peace & Security (AJIPS)

The Second-Generation Threat: AI-Assisted Decentralized Militancy and Counter-Extremism Governance in South Asia

Kalim Ullah — 2026-06-10

Existing counter-extremism scholarship and governance practice remain largely anchored to the Islamic State threat model of 2014–2018, which assumed centralized production, stylistically recognizable output, and predominantly Arabic and English distribution. Whether that framework is still adequate for the South Asian threat environment is the question this article addresses. Generative AI tools have, since approximately 2019, enabled decentralized Militant Islamist networks to produce vernacular-language propaganda at near-zero marginal cost, a qualitative shift that the post-2014 counter-extremism consensus did not anticipate. Drawing on a structured comparative case study of three national sub-systems, Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and its Umar Media wing, Bangladesh’s Ansar al-Islam ecosystem, and India’s WhatsApp distribution environment, and applying Marc Sageman’s network theory of leaderless jihad alongside Tarleton Gillespie’s platform governance framework, with J. M. Berger’s account of algorithmic amplification as a bridging device, the analysis identifies three compounding structural deficits in the current governance architecture: a South Asian vernacular language moderation gap, an absence of definitional categories for AI-generated content in national regulatory frameworks, and inter-state coordination failures shaped by competing geopolitical interests.

The Space Security Trilemma: Analysis of Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Weapons of the United States, China, and India

Munazza Khalid — 2026-07-10

In the contemporary strategic environment, outer space has emerged as a critical domain of military competition, complementing the traditional land, sea, and air domains. As reliance on space-based assets continues to expand, major spacefaring nations invest in advanced technologies, including Anti-Satellite (ASAT) weapons, to strengthen their capabilities and secure strategic advantages in space. The United States (US) demonstrated its ASAT capability in 1985, China in 2007, and India in 2019. The emergence of ASAT capabilities among these three states contributed to a complex space security trilemma, in which measures adopted by one state to enhance its security are perceived as threats by others, encouraging reciprocal military responses. ASAT systems, particularly direct-ascent kinetic interceptors, can disable, damage, or destroy satellites during periods of conflict, thereby undermining an adversary’s military space support and reducing its operational effectiveness. Against this backdrop, the present study provides a comparative analysis of the ASAT capabilities of the US, China, and India. The analysis is undertaken through the analytical framework of Space-power Theory to assess the strategic motivations, military implications, and security consequences associated with the development of these capabilities.

Mitigating Climate Change: Evaluating the Role of Nuclear Energy in Pakistan's Sustainable Energy Transition

Yasir Hussain — 2026-07-10

Pakistan sits between two rapidly growing economies, China and India, which are the major sources of carbon emissions. As a result, it faces severe environmental challenges, including climate change, extreme weather patterns, and rising temperatures. To address these challenges, Pakistan aims to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels; however, it also faces the enormous challenge of transitioning to green energy sources. At this critical juncture, nuclear energy can serve as a viable solution to Pakistan's energy woes. This study, using a qualitative methodology based on secondary sources of data, addresses the question of how and in what ways nuclear energy can help mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change in Pakistan, especially through its contribution to power generation. Additionally, this study examines the role of nuclear energy in the transportation sector. The research paper summarizes the significance of nuclear power in Pakistan as a reliable energy source that can support sustainable development, reduce the nation’s energy crisis, and contribute to global endeavors to combat climate change. Moreover, the paper emphasizes that Pakistan should prefer nuclear energy as a cost-effective, sustainable, and climate-friendly solution to its climate crisis. To lay down theoretical foundations, this study employs energy transition theory.