Research Centers / Defence, Deterrence & Military Innovation Research Center
Defence, Deterrence & Military Innovation Research Center
Analysing the forces reshaping military power — emerging technologies, deterrence stability, and the doctrinal and capability shifts defining competition in the Indo‑Pacific.
The Defence, Deterrence & Military Innovation Research Center examines how technological change, evolving doctrine, and shifting force structures are transforming the nature of military competition and the foundations of strategic stability across the Indo‑Pacific.
From autonomous systems and directed energy to nuclear modernisation and grey-zone operations, we provide the rigorous analysis that decision-makers, defence planners, and strategic leaders need to understand — and navigate — a rapidly changing operational environment.
Focus Areas
What the center researches
Deterrence Theory & Strategic Stability
Examining how emerging technologies, multi-domain competition, and shifting nuclear postures interact with classical deterrence theory — and the implications for stability in an era of great power rivalry.
Autonomous Systems & AI in Warfare
Assessing the military applications of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems — from lethal autonomous weapons to AI-enabled command and control — and the strategic, legal, and ethical implications of their proliferation.
Grey-Zone Operations & Sub-Threshold Conflict
Mapping the instruments of grey-zone competition — information operations, cyber coercion, maritime militia, and hybrid tactics — and the challenge they pose to conventional deterrence and response thresholds.
Nuclear Modernisation & Extended Deterrence
Tracking the nuclear modernisation programmes of China, Russia, and North Korea — and the credibility and sufficiency of US extended deterrence guarantees for Indo‑Pacific allies and partners.
Defence Industrial Base & Capability Development
Analysing the defence industrial and acquisition frameworks of Indo‑Pacific states — their capacity to develop, produce, and sustain advanced military capabilities at the pace demanded by strategic competition.
Multi-Domain Operations & Joint Warfighting
Examining the doctrinal evolution toward multi-domain operations — integrating land, sea, air, space, and cyber — and the interoperability challenges and opportunities this creates for allied forces in the region.
Research Output
Publications and policy briefs
The Defence, Deterrence & Military Innovation Research Center produces strategic assessments, capability analyses, and policy briefs contributing to IPSC's research agenda on military competition and strategic stability in the Indo‑Pacific.
Request Research & PublicationsFrom analysis to education
The center powers IPSC's defence and deterrence education programs.
Research from the Defence, Deterrence & Military Innovation Research Center informs IPSC's Geopolitical Risk Analysis Program, the Emerging Leaders Forum, and executive education offerings on strategic competition, deterrence, and the future of warfare.
Collaborate with IPSC
Work with the Defence, Deterrence & Military Innovation Research Center
We welcome collaboration with researchers, defence practitioners, and institutional partners working on deterrence theory, military innovation, and the future of warfare in the Indo‑Pacific.