Internasjonalt Seminar: War and Peace in South Asia

The seminar will examine the May 2025 India-Pakistan military confrontation, prospects for peace and risks of renewed conflict, the Trump administration’s approach toward India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, China’s evolving role in the region, and the implications of a changing South Asia for the wider world.

The event will take place at Tromsø Library on Thursday, October 1, from 19:00 to 21:00, and will also be streamed online. The streaming link will be shared ahead of the event.

The seminar will feature short opening remarks by the speakers, followed by a panel discussion and an interactive session with the audience.

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Speaker Profiles

Elizabeth Threlkeld is a senior fellow and director of the South Asia Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C. Her research focuses on nuclear competition in Southern Asia, regional security dynamics, and Indo-Pacific geopolitics. Before joining Stimson, she served as a U.S. Foreign Service officer, including postings in Islamabad and Peshawar, giving her extensive on-the-ground experience with the political and security dynamics of Pakistan and the wider South Asian region. 

Marc Lanteigne is Professor of Political Science at UiT The Arctic University of Norway and a supporting leader of The Grey Zone research group. A specialist in China and international relations, his work explores Chinese foreign policy, East Asian and Indo-Pacific politics, Arctic and Antarctic affairs, and traditional and non-traditional security. His research focuses on how China’s evolving global role intersects with changing patterns of security and geopolitics.

Arsalan Bilal is a researcher at the Centre for Geopolitics, Peace, and Security at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. His research sits at the intersection of geopolitics and security, focusing on hybrid threats and warfare, asymmetric conflict, populism, violent extremism, and South Asian security. He has contributed to research on topics ranging from the Afghanistan war and India-Pakistan rivalry to hybrid warfare against the West and influence operations in the Arctic. 

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Key Questions

1. Why did India and Pakistan come to the brink of war in May 2025, and what did the crisis reveal about the changing nature of their rivalry?
2. What are the prospects for peace – or renewed conflict – between India and Pakistan?
3. How is the Trump administration approaching India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, and what does this mean for the regional balance?
4. What role does China play in South Asia, particularly in relation to India and Pakistan?
5. How is wider great-power competition reshaping South Asia, and why should these developments matter beyond the region?

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