Your Independent Journal from the Heartland
Wars and conflicts are creating a severe humanitarian and financial crisis across Asia. In 2025, the continent has become the epicenter of numerous geopolitical frictions, with several long-standing disputes escalating significantly. This escalating militarization in Asia, in turn, fuels record profits for the global defense industry.
Intensified war efforts and conflicts drain the fragile economies of Asian nations. National budgets are increasingly concentrated on military spending, while expenditures on human development are cut. The human loss from these military maneuvers is enormous. The conflicts in the South and Southeast Asian regions alone have resulted in a total of 24,081 fatalities.
Tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan have escalated over border skirmishes. The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has an operational presence in Afghanistan, remains a major source of friction between Islamabad and the Taliban regime. In 2024, Pakistani airstrikes targeting TTP bases killed at least 46 people, leading to continuous clashes at the Afghanistan–Pakistan border.
Myanmar’s civil war has been the deadliest in the region. The nation has been in a state of turmoil since the military seized power in a coup in February 2021. The military junta is estimated to control only about 21% of the country, with the remaining territory held by the “Three Brotherhood Alliance” and other ethnic armed organizations. According to the UN Human Rights Office, since the military coup, nearly 6,800 civilians have been killed, over 22,000 remain arbitrarily detained, and more than 3.5 million have been displaced by the conflict.
The military government has detained many leaders, including the 80-year-old former President Aung San Suu Kyi. The coup and subsequent forced conscription have led many young people to leave the country, causing a significant “brain drain.” Adding to these woes, Myanmar is one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries and has been severely affected by climate-related disasters. An earthquake last year killed nearly 4,000 people and left six million in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Nearly four in five people are poverty-stricken, and an estimated 1.3 million have fled the country, undertaking perilous journeys by land and sea. On Dec. 28, 2025, a phased, month-long election began, which most international bodies condemned as a “sham” and charged the junta that they conducted the polls to legitimize military rule.
On April 22, 2025, terrorists attacked innocent Indian tourists in Pahalgam, located in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of 26 people. This tragedy led to a four-day military conflict and a sharp escalation in regional tensions. Following this, both India and Pakistan significantly increased their defense spending. Despite its severe economic constraints, the Pakistani government increased its military spending to 18–20% of its national budget.
Despite U.S. involvement in many regional tensions, President Trump repeatedly claimed he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for resolving multiple conflicts, a claim that became a running joke in 2025!
The Trump administration continued to provide financial and military aid for Israel’s operations in Gaza. Since 2023, approximately 70,000–71,000 Palestinians have been killed, over 171,000 have been injured, and nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced.
Throughout 2025, the U.S. conducted smaller, tactical airstrikes, including actions in Syria in December. The U.S. also carried out airstrikes against Iran, targeting its nuclear infrastructure under the codename “Operation Midnight Hammer.” A 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran began on June 13, 2025. After Israel launched initial strikes on the Iranian military, the U.S. joined the campaign on June 22. This occurred despite the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stating that it had not found a finished bomb. While Director General Rafael Grossi noted that Iran has enough highly enriched uranium to produce nuclear warheads, he emphasized that the situation warranted continued negotiations, not armed attacks.
China views Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory, citing historical ties and strategic interests. Beijing insists on the “One China” principle, which defines Taiwan as a province awaiting reunification. Washington’s continued support for self-governed Taiwan, including large-scale arms sales, has escalated tensions with increased China’s military drills.U.S. defense companies have intensified weapons sales to Taiwan. Recently, the U.S. announced an $11.1 billion weapons package for Taiwan, one of the largest ever. Irked by this, China retaliated by sanctioning 20 U.S. defense firms and 10 individuals.
The South China Sea dispute also remains tense, with escalating confrontations between China and the Philippines. In late 2025, Japan and the Philippines signed a new defense pact to strengthen military cooperation and counter China. In a related move, Japan approved a massive $58 billion defense budget to deter China.
Elsewhere, Thailand and Cambodia signed a ceasefire after weeks of deadly border clashes that erupted in early December 2025.
All military conflicts causing regional tensions in Asia must be stopped. They are severely affecting the economies of developing Asian countries. Due to historical colonial plunder and subsequent elite-oriented neoliberal policies, people are already suffering from poverty and now face even greater hardships as a result of these armed conflicts.
It is imperative that organizations and alliances within the Global South, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa plus expanded members) and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) come together to resolve these conflicts through negotiations. Meanwhile, global corporate powers, including the U,S., must refrain from creating and escalating war tensions in Asia for their own selfish interests.
N. Gunasekaran is a political activist and writer based in Chennai, India.
Email gunatn@gmail.com
