The Summer 2026 Issue brings together a diverse array of scholarly research exploring regional governance, national security architectures, ideological narratives, and adaptive diplomacy in a rapidly evolving global order.

The issue opens with a comparative analysis of the civilian nuclear safety governance in South Asia, evaluating the institutional frameworks of Pakistan and India. By examining the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) and the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) of India against the safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the study underscores that structural autonomy and regulatory independence are essential to prevent vulnerabilities in a shared geopolitical environment. Following this institutional evaluation, the next paper critically assesses the evolution of Pakistan’s national and internal security policies. Utilizing a strategic SWOT analysis, it evaluates the structural shifts from the counter-terrorism focus of the National Internal Security Policies (NISP 2014, 2018) to the broader geo-economic and human security paradigms of the National Security Policy (NSP 2022), while highlighting persistent implementation challenges like bureaucratic inertia and resource constraints.

Shifting focus to the digital and ideological domains, the third article investigates the intersection of soft power and strategic communication on Over-the-top (OTT) streaming platforms. Through a qualitative analysis of prominent digital media releases during the Modi era, it examines how selective historical representations are leveraged to shape regional perceptions, while offering strategic counter-narrative options for the Pakistani media industry. This theme of ideological projection is further expanded in the fourth study, which utilizes a constructivist lens to deconstruct India’s “Atmanirbharta” (self-sufficiency) initiative launched in 2020. The paper explores how this policy functions not merely as an economic or military roadmap, but as a central identity-driven framework driving aspirations for great power status. Finally, the issue concludes with an examination of the expanding bilateral relationship between Russia and Pakistan from 2014 to 2026. Utilizing process tracing across defense, energy trade, and Eurasian connectivity, the study highlights how middle powers and recovering great powers practice adaptive diplomacy through layered, hedging-driven selective partnerships rather than traditional rigid alliances in the post-Western order.