Summary: Although the recent peaceful democratic transitions in Indonesia and Sri Lanka point to the very real progress towards more inclusive politics in Asia, the counter-currents in places like Thailand and Bangladesh show that the international community would be unwise to become complacent. The increasing power and reach of radical movements in the Middle East show how easily conflicts like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Ukraine can metastasise across vulnerable and excluded communities. The growing power and confidence of China and India is ushering a new era of geopolitical competition in Asia and the world, but they also bring new resources and new thinking to the fight for global and regional security.
