In Geopolitics Today - Friday, June 3rd
An Intensifying Naval Arms Race, Iran and Russia Expand Ties, Pakistan Negotiates with Tribal Leaders
An Intensifying Naval Arms Race
The navies of the United States and China are engaged in a naval arms race in which each side is seeking to produce more unmanned surface and subsurface ships. Smaller unmanned vehicles have proven to be efficient as they are increasingly used by states to organize patrols near ports and coastal areas, and their advantages in these roles have been noticed by both military planners and arms producers.
China has reportedly launched the world’s first AI-operated drone carrier ship. Zhu Hai Yun, as the vessel is called, can apparently be operated remotely in the high seas, where the ship is able to operate autonomously via integrating AI software. While details are scarce, there is speculation that the Zhu Hai Yun can be used for maritime research, intelligence-gathering and even repelling enemy drones. On the other hand, the United States has developed the Orca, an 80-ton, extra-large unmanned underwater vehicle that carries onboard a host of sophisticated sensors. Operated remotely without endangering military personnel, such systems are capable of executing a broad range of sub-surface operations. As a part of this process, the US Navy is particularly seeking to establish a more distributed fleet architecture by spreading capabilities and assets into smaller platforms.
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Iran and Russia Expand Ties
Earlier this year, Iran and Russia laid the groundwork for a 20-year cooperation deal that will see both countries deeper ties across a range of sectors. In a recent meeting between the two sides, Tehran and Moscow built on these prior discussions by focusing on ways both sides could work to facilitate a larger role for Russian companies in Iran’s petrochemical sector. Leaders from both capitals also discussed the expansion of the Bushehr nuclear plant in Iran.
According to Iran’s Petroleum Minister, Russia has allocated US$5 billion in funding for Iranian energy, agricultural, and transport projects, and the two countries now plan to increase their annual trade to a minimum of US$40 billion by 2025. Crucially, increased cooperation between Tehran and Moscow is now also being cultivated across the financial and banking sectors, oil, gas, petrochemicals, and nuclear energy. These latest talks have involved ways of integrating Russia into Iranian oil and gas projects. Moreover, significant progress was made on the North-South Transport Corridor as several agreements were reached in the rail, road, maritime, and air transport sectors related to this project.
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Pakistan Negotiates with Tribal Leaders
The Pakistani Taliban has declared an indefinite ceasefire with Islamabad after “substantial progress” was made in peace talks which took place in Kabul. Since the Afghan Taliban returned to power last year, Islamabad has increasingly complained of attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), especially along the mountainous border with Afghanistan.
The mountainous region between Afghanistan and Pakistan has been a hive of militant activity for a long time, and the unruly terrain in this border region provides a battleground where frictions between Kabul and Islamabad often play out. In recent months, Islamabad has become more vocal about the attacks taking place across the region, and has been eager to point the finger at the TTP. have been targeted by fighters across the international boundary. More recently, peace talks have been brokered by the Afghan Taliban in Kabul by bringing together both Islamabad and the TTP to the negotiating table.
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