DKI APCSS Spotlight
On March 25th, 2025, the 29th U.S. Secretary of Defense, the Honorable Pete Hegseth visited DKI APCSS to make his first address to the Indo-Pacific, the region of consequence in the 21st century.
Security Nexus Perspective Calls for Stronger U.S.-India Defense Production Ties
A Security Nexus perspective, “Deterrence Needs a Factory: Fixing the U.S.–India Industrial Gap,” by Shyam Tekwani, professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, argues that while strategic alignment between the United States and India has advanced, their defense industrial cooperation remains underdeveloped. The essay highlights how both countries share mutual goals—resilient supply chains, forward deterrence, and defense innovation—yet continue to fall short on implementation. Tekwani urges both nations to shift from high-level dialogue to ground-level execution, including co-investment in manufacturing and defense technologies.
Yoon’s Foreign Policy Falls Short of “Global Pivotal State” Vision
In Foreign Policy, Dr. Lami Kim evaluates the foreign policy legacy of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in her article, “Yoon’s Disappointing Foreign-Policy Legacy.” Yoon, who was impeached and removed from office by the Constitutional Court on April 4, had pledged to transform South Korea into a “global pivotal state.” While his Indo-Pacific strategy aligned closely with U.S. regional objectives, it lacked concrete measures to achieve its stated goals, such as maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait and ensuring freedom of navigation. As Kim notes, “the strategy appeared more aspirational than strategic.”
DKI APCSS Professor Speaks on Non-State Actors in Malign State Influence
Dr. Sam Mullins, a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS), recently spoke as part of the NSI Strategic Multilayer Assessment (SMA) speaker series on “The Use of Non-State Actors as Proxies in Malign State Influence.” The SMA speaker series serves as a platform for leading experts to discuss key challenges facing Combatant Commands, allies, and global security. The series archive includes audio or video recordings when available, written summaries, speaker bios, and briefing materials.
Transforming perceived disorganization into strategic strength
In her recent article in The Diplomat, "Myanmar’s Decentralized Resistance Is Too Resilient and Flexible to Crush," Dr. Miemie Winn Byrd examines the unexpected durability of Myanmar's resistance movement against the military junta. Contrary to past uprisings in 1988 and 2007, which were swiftly suppressed, the current resistance has not only endured but has also forced the military into a defensive stance. By late 2023, coordinated offensives by ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) had significantly weakened the junta's strategic position, leading resistance forces to advance toward the capital, Naypyidaw, by 2024.
DKI APCSS Returns to Washington for Mobile Indo-Pacific Orientation Course
WASHINGTON — After an eight-year hiatus, the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies returned to the nation’s capital to host the Mobile Indo-Pacific Orientation Course (MIPOC) from March 24 to 28, 2025. The event, the largest MIPOC to date, brought together 116 fellows from agencies including the Departments of Defense, State, and Homeland Security. Among them were 20 international participants representing 12 countries.
Hegseth Addresses Indo-Pacom Partnerships During First Trip to Region
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed his strategic vision for the Defense Department, as it relates to the Indo-Pacific region, while delivering remarks to alumni of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu yesterday. Founded in 1995, the DKI APCSS is a DOD institute that offers a forum for military and civilian leaders from the region to come together and discuss local and global security matters.
A Story of Resistance in the Age of Algorithmic Irregular Warfare
Dr. "Lumpy" Lumbaca of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies explores themes of technological overreach and human resilience in a piece published March 19, 2025, in Small Wars Journal. In The Sun Is Setting: A Story of Resistance in the Age of Algorithmic Irregular Warfare, Lumbaca presents a fictional narrative set in 2084exploring the rise of the Sky Global Algorithmic Network (Sky-GAN).
Critical Domains Take Center Stage during the Comprehensive Security Cooperation Course
Emerging challenges in critical domains were the key focus of the recent Comprehensive Security Cooperation (CSC25-1) course hosted by the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies from February 5 to March 12, 2025, in Honolulu. The intensive five-week course helped build capacity for allies and partners by leveraging the different perspectives, skills, and experiences of its multinational Fellows, which included 89 participants from 35 countries around the world. CSC 25-1 focused on critical security domains—Cyber, Space, and Maritime Security—providing Fellows with strategic insights into emerging challenges and opportunities. Through plenary sessions, scenario-based exercises, simulations, and specialized electives, the course fosters collaboration and strengthens the capacity of security practitioners to address complex security threats.
The Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center’s Pivotal Role in Strengthening Indo-Pacific Deterrence Strategies
As the geopolitical landscape continues to move toward an increasingly multipolar system, the risk of miscalculations, conflict, and war likewise increases. As the U.S. increases its focus on the Indo-Pacific, it is important that both the U.S. and its allies and partners are well-prepared for the changing regional dynamics. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has emphasized the importance of avoiding but being prepared for, confrontation with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the Indo-Pacific theater. Avoiding war is best done through a variety of actions and will require the help of U.S. partners and allies. Achieving this preparedness requires strengthening the warrior ethos, contributing to deterrence, and enhancing alliances and partnerships. As the only U.S. Department of Defense regional center focused solely on the Indo-Pacific, The Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) actively contributes to meeting these U.S. national security objectives.
Dialogue | Episode 42: An Interview with Dr. Bill Wieninger on China’s Nuclear Rise
China’s rapid nuclear expansion is altering the global security landscape, prompting urgent questions about intent, deterrence, and strategic stability. As Dr. Bill Wieninger—former U.S. Air Force officer and current professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies—explained in a recent Dialogue episode, “China’s nuclear rise presents a complex and evolving challenge.”
Dialogue | Episode 41 An Interview with Dr. Srini Sitaraman on India’s Strategic Challenges
India finds itself at the heart of a rapidly shifting security landscape, balancing the challenges of border tensions, maritime competition, and evolving defense partnerships. In this episode of Dialogue, Dr. Srini Sitaraman, a professor at DKI APCSS and an expert on Indo-Pacific security, offered a deep dive into India’s strategic calculations—from its uneasy standoff with China to its expanding defense cooperation with the United States and the Quad.
Security Nexus Paper Explores How Non-Warfighters Can Support U.S. Military Lethality
The Security Nexus paper examines how civilian and support personnel within the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) can contribute to Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth’s renewed emphasis on military lethality. The paper highlights the critical role of non-warfighters—including resource managers, logisticians, academics, economists, and cybersecurity professionals—in optimizing processes, streamlining decision-making, and supporting operational forces. It emphasizes that lethality is not solely about combat but also about strategy, logistics, innovation, and partnerships.
Security Nexus Paper Explores India’s Strategic Role in Myanmar Amidst China’s Influence
A Security Nexus paper, “India’s Strategic Moment: Navigating Myanmar’s Crisis Amidst China’s Backing of the Junta,” by Miemie Winn Byrd, professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, examines how China’s support for Myanmar’s military regime has fueled unrest while creating a strategic opportunity for India. The paper highlights rising anti-China sentiment in Myanmar and argues that India can redefine its role by engaging with pro-democracy forces and ethnic resistance groups. It outlines a roadmap for India to enhance its regional leadership through humanitarian aid, economic partnerships, and diplomatic advocacy.
New Security Nexus Paper Explores the Defense Industrial Base’s Role in Indo-Pacific Security
A new Security Nexus paper, “The Strategic Role of the Defense Industrial Base in Advancing U.S. Lethality, Soft Power, and Indo-Pacific Security,” by Deon Canyon, Associate Dean of Academics and Professor, and Carleton Cramer, Captain (Ret.), U.S. Navy, Dean of Academics for the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, examines how the United States Defense Industrial Base (DIB) serves as both a military and strategic asset, enhancing deterrence, innovation, and regional partnerships. It highlights the DIB’s role in strengthening alliances, supporting economic resilience, and integrating emerging defense technologies in response to increasing geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific.
Dialogue | Episode 40 Malaysia’s Maritime Shield: Safeguarding Sovereignty and Stability in a Complex Region – An Interview with Nor Aini binti Mohd Nordin
Malaysia is at the heart of Indo-Pacific maritime security, balancing sovereignty, economic interests, and regional cooperation. Nor Aini binti Mohd Nordin, a rising young leader in maritime strategy, joins Dialogue to discuss Malaysia’s Maritime Shield—how the nation protects its waters amid evolving threats and challenges.
Dialogue | Episode 39 Myanmar’s Four-Year Struggle: Dr Miemie Winn Byrd on Myanmar’s Resistance, Regional Stakes, and the Road Ahead
Myanmar marks four years since the military junta seized power, plunging the nation into ongoing conflict and humanitarian crises. Dr. Miemie Winn Byrd explores the resilience of the Myanmar people, the impact of China’s involvement, and the lessons learned from other conflicts like Syria in shaping the nation’s future.
