The Indo-Pacific In Focus

With conflicts raging in Ukraine and the Middle East, both Europe and the Indo-Pacific are reevaluating their approaches to security. But how do those approaches intersect, and what role can NATO play in bridging the gap? In Season 2, Episode 3 of the Indo-Pacific In Focus, we sit down with Maša Ocvirk and Shin-ae Lee to discuss these questions and much more.

Timestamps below:

1:27 - Evolving Security Discussions

12:32 - Finding a Role for NATO

24:08 - Looking Ahead to a Murky Future

2026 has been an eventful year in the Indo-Pacific, particularly for the tech sector. From new partnerships to export controls, the regional tech landscape is evolving faster than ever. In Season 2, Episode 2 of the Indo-Pacific In Focus, we sat down with Koen Berden and Michael McKeon to discuss a wide range of Indo-Pacific tech topics.

Timestamps below:

1:28 - Tech in the Age of Disruption

11:32 - Prospects for European Tech Sovereignty

14:22 - Implications of the Japan-India Tech Partnership

18:49 - U.S. and European Approaches to China

24:18 - Navigating New Trade Barriers

29:13 - What is the China Shock 2.0?

33:27 - The Road Ahead

To kick off season 2 of the Indo-Pacific In Focus, we're joined by Ann Kowalewski and Randolf Carr, two members of the 2026 class of Bertelsmann Foundation Fellows. In a wide-ranging interview, Ann and Randolf share their thoughts on where U.S. and European approaches to the Indo-Pacific stand at the midpoint of 2026.

Timestamps below:

4:30 - Lessons from the Iran War

11:15 - Impacts of Trump Agenda for European Foreign Policy

18:36 - European Pragmatism in the Indo-Pacific

21:39 - Takeaways from the Trump-Xi Summit

30:39 - The Future of European China Policy

From semiconductors to AI, many of the world's most vital technologies originate in the Indo-Pacific. But which countries are leading the charge, and how are supply chains shifting amid geopolitical uncertainty? In the final episode of season 1, we sit down with Jonathon Marek, Raluca Csernatoni and Mark Manantan to discuss the countless ways in which the Indo-Pacific shapes our technological future.

More than almost any other region, the Indo-Pacific is defined by its multilateral institutions. But how did these groupings come to be, and how have they evolved over time? In Episode 5, we sat down with Andrew Yeo, Thibault Fournol and Prashanth Parameswaran to explore the region's institutional landscape and its interactions with the U.S. and Europe.

From the Bab el-Mandeb in the West to the Korean Peninsula in the East, the Indo-Pacific has no shortage of complex security challenges. For the U.S. and Europe, understanding these dynamics is more important than ever. In the fourth episode of the Indo-Pacific In Focus, we're joined by Max Bergmann, Tara Varma and Abdul Rahman Yaacob to discuss the Indo-Pacific's evolving approach to security.

Home to a growing number of spaceborne nations and increasingly advanced space infrastructure, the Indo-Pacific is on the forefront of modern space activity. To explain more, Marshall is joined by Clayton Swope, the Deputy Director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for strategic and International Studies; Namrata Goswami, a Professor of Space Security at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies; and Marco Aliberti, a Senior Research Fellow at the European Space Policy Institute.

When experts talk about the Indo-Pacific, one word tends to come up first: trade. Over the past several decades, the region has emerged as a critical hub of global trade networks. For the United States and Europe, trade with the Indo-Pacific has become increasingly indispensable, presenting both opportunities and challenges. To dig deeper, we're joined by Inu Manak, Eduardo Castellet-Nogues and Amit Kapoor.

For decades, political leaders have discussed the "Indo-Pacific" as an increasingly important region. But what is the Indo-Pacific? What defines this diverse region, and how is it perceived in the United States and Europe? To kick off the Indo-Pacific In Focus, we're joined by Shihoko Goto, Satu Limaye and Benedetta Girardi.