Navigating the Convergence of Nuclear and AI Threats

20 Mar 2026 | APLN

20 March 2026

This week, we are pleased to launch our “Talking Nuclear” interview series. In the inaugural episode, APLN Senior Research Adviser Manpreet Sethi sits down with Sujata Mehta and discusses the current state of global nuclear affairs, past successes in arms control negotiations, and ways to move ahead. We also published a policy brief by Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi examining how AI shapes Japan’s defence planning and operational risk management.

As always, we highlight recent activities from our network, including analyses on the US-Israeli war on Iran, ASEAN’s peace treaty, strategy to address the threat posed by North Korea, and more.

Talking Nuclear:
Sujata Mehta in conversation with Manpreet Sethi

In the opening episode of our new Talking Nuclear interview series, APLN Senior Research Adviser Manpreet Sethi is joined by Sujata Mehta, former Indian Representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. Reflecting on her experience as a young diplomat during the Cold War, Sujata Mehta contrasts the “East–West” fault line of the 1980s with today’s far more complex landscape, one marked by multiple nuclear-armed states and a troubling decline in dialogue. She also draws attention to a growing “trifecta” of risk: the convergence of nuclear threats, climate change, and disruptive technologies such as AI. Particularly concerning is the absence of clear guardrails or expert oversight in managing these emerging challenges.

Watch the interview

Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Defence Planning:
Case of Japan

Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi examines how AI is shaping Japan’s defence planning and operational risk management, focusing on the strategic operationalisation within the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and its broader regional implications. While AI is an essential enabler, it must not drive defence readiness; a purely technology-centric approach risks creating critical gaps in military capabilities without structural and procedural reforms. Furthermore, the proliferation of AI-enabled systems among Asia-Pacific countries threatens to exacerbate regional tensions. Given the constraints on military transparency, establishing shared norms for accountability and oversight is critical to mitigating inadvertent escalation and ensuring long-term strategic stability.

Read the policy brief

APLN has over 170 members from 24 countries in the Asia-Pacific.
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to global and regional security debates.

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South Korea uneasy as US moves air defenses to Middle East

Eunjung Lim, Professor at the Division of International Studies at Kongju National University, was quoted in Deutsche Welle, commenting on the US call for allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. She argued that there is little appetite for South Korean service personnel to be committed to combat; however, the South Korean military has taken steps toward homegrown defences against North Korea.

Pursuing Both Denuclearization and Risk Reduction in North Korea Engagement

Michiru Nishida, Professor at the School of Global Humanities and Social Sciences, Nagasaki University, wrote for Stimson Center and argued that it is essential for the US to maintain the goal of the complete denuclearisation of North Korea while also recognising the serious nuclear risks it poses to regional security. Japan and South Korea should support US efforts both to denuclearise and reduce nuclear risks without legitimising North Korea’s nuclear programme.

After 50 years ASEAN’s peace treaty needs new teeth

Dewi Fortuna Anwar, Chairman and Board of Directors at the Habibie Center, wrote for the Jakarta Post and highlighted that while the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation remains a global gold standard for diplomacy, ASEAN must bridge the gap between its aspirational principles and the political will required to actually use them.

BRICS Meets Reality in the Middle East War

C. Raja Mohan, Distinguished Professor at the Motwani-Jadeja Institute of American Studies at Jindal Global University, wrote for Foreign Policy and observed that deep structural divisions within BRICS make it impossible for the group to take a unified stance on the Persian Gulf conflict. While BRICS is often seen as a counterweight to US power, these internal rivalries leave it a passive spectator in real-world conflicts.

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