Welcome back to The Security Affair, the flagship podcast from the Centre for International Security and Economic Strategy (CISES), where we examine the ideas, events, and decisions shaping global security and diplomacy.

Hosted by Alexander Anderson, Director of Policy at CISES, this episode turns to one of the most consequential relationships in contemporary geopolitics: the Russia–China partnership. Alexander is joined by Zorawar Gill, Policy Analyst at CISES, whose research spans China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Together, they explore whether this partnership represents strategic alignment, pragmatic cooperation, or an unequal relationship shaped by necessity. The conversation looks at how Moscow and Beijing have deepened ties across energy, military exercises, and diplomatic coordination; how regional conflicts from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific influence their calculus; and whether growing asymmetries could generate friction over time. They also examine the partnership’s impact on smaller states, India’s security planning, and the future of global governance.

Zorawar reflects on the myths and realities surrounding the “Russia–China axis,” discusses what we often overlook, and offers guidance for understanding the limits and possibilities of this evolving relationship.

Next Friday, we’ll turn to how gender shapes nuclear governance and what it means for global security and nuclear strategy.