Seminar on - "Strategic Coercion: Global Dynamics and South Asia" - 12th March, 2019
Date: 12 March 2019
Location: Karachi
Organized by: Centre for Peace, Security and Developmental Studies (CPSD)
Overview
The Centre for Peace, Security and Developmental Studies (CPSD) convened a one-day international seminar on “Strategic Coercion: Global Dynamics and South Asia” to explore the evolving landscape of global and regional coercive strategies. The seminar aimed to deepen understanding of how strategic coercion manifests in today’s geopolitical and geo-economic order, and to provide policy-oriented insights for Pakistan’s response in a rapidly transitioning world.
Seminar Objectives
To examine the concept of strategic coercion in the context of shifting global power dynamics.
To assess the implications of global power transitions from West to East on South Asia.
To identify policy recommendations for Pakistan in managing strategic and coercive pressures in the region.
Key Themes Discussed
Evolving Global Order: Speakers emphasized that the transition of power from Western to Eastern blocs has created both opportunities and challenges for South Asian states.
Regionalism and Strategic Alignments: The seminar underscored the rising potential of regionalism, with increasing interaction between core and peripheral states in South Asia.
Nature of Modern Warfare: Discussions included how coercion today involves political, economic, social, informational, and military instruments, often exploiting systemic vulnerabilities.
US-India Nexus: Detailed discussion took place on the growing strategic alignment between the United States and India, and its implications for regional stability.
Instruments of Coercion: Presenters highlighted the global rise of economic coercion, coercive diplomacy, regime change tactics, proxy wars, and information warfare.
Sessions Overview
The seminar was divided into three focused sessions:
Session One: Strategic Coercion and Evolving Geo-Economics
Session Two: Regional Politico-Economic Order – Coercion as a Policy Tool
Session Three: Pursuit for Regional Stability, Prosperity, and Security
Each session featured expert speakers from Pakistan, Russia, and the United States, including academics, diplomats, strategists, and policymakers.
Audience and Participation
The event was well-attended by:
Members of the diplomatic corps
Government officials
Business leaders and security professionals
Academics, researchers, and university students
The interactive sessions generated a rich intellectual discourse, encouraging dialogue across multiple sectors of policy and strategy.
Concluding Remarks
The seminar concluded with an executive summary and remarks by the Chief Guest, who emphasized the need for a cohesive national strategy to navigate the complexities of strategic coercion in the current global order.