Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – 08 May 2026: The Rabdan Security and Defence Institute convened the second online closed-door roundtable in its ongoing series examining the global spillover effects of the US–Israel–Iran conflict.
Titled “Shockwaves Across the Indian Ocean: South Asia in the Shadow of US & Israel vs Iran War,” the session explored how escalating tensions and geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East are reverberating across the Indian Ocean region and reshaping strategic dynamics in South Asia.
The roundtable brought together a distinguished group of experts and academics to examine the broader geopolitical, economic, and security implications of the conflict, with particular emphasis on its impact on regional stability, strategic decision-making, and national resilience across South Asia. Discussions highlighted how developments in the Middle East increasingly influence energy markets, maritime security, trade routes, and foreign policy calculations across interconnected regions.
The session was moderated by Sinduja Umandi Wickramasinghe Jayaratne and featured prominent speakers including Uttam Kumar Sinha, Asantha Senevirathna, and Shahab Enam Khan.
Speakers highlighted several key challenges emerging from the ongoing conflict, including rising energy prices, inflationary pressures across South Asian economies, and the growing trend of multi-alignment among regional states navigating intensifying geopolitical competition. Discussions also underscored the importance of rethinking national security and economic planning frameworks, strengthening supply chain resilience, investing in renewable energy alternatives, and enhancing regional cooperation mechanisms to mitigate future disruptions.
The session further addressed broader legal and maritime security considerations linked to incidents such as the IRIS Dena case, as well as the implications of heightened tensions across strategic waterways and maritime trade corridors.
This roundtable reflects the Rabdan Security and Defence Institute’s continued commitment to advancing strategic dialogue, fostering international knowledge exchange, and supporting deeper understanding of emerging geopolitical and security challenges affecting regional and global stability.
