Space-based weapons programmes are developing faster than the treaties meant to govern them. When capabilities and intentions remain opaque, how can states build enough shared understanding to stop a crisis in orbit from escalating? BASIC’s latest Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Brief, “Risk Reduction in Outer Space: A proposal for Confidence-Building Measures”, by guest contributor Syeda Saba Batool, sets out a practical answer.
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Why We Need Another Reykjavík Moment
In the latest piece in our 40th anniversary series, Nicholas Wheeler, Non-Resident Senior Fellow and Professor of International Relations at the University of Birmingham argues that judging the 1986 Reykjavík Summit by its failure to produce a deal misses its lasting achievement.
No More “Black Saturdays”: Learning the Right Lessons from the Cuban Missile Crisis
In a new piece for BASIC, Non-Resident Senior Fellow Professor Nicholas J. Wheeler and Syed Ali Zia Jaffery, Deputy Director of the Center for Security, Strategy and Policy Research at the University of Lahore, warn that today’s nuclear rivals may be losing sight of the fact that preventing nuclear catastrophe hinges on cooperation rather than brinkmanship. India and Pakistan both claim success in their May 2025 crisis, risking a higher baseline of escalation, while Russia and NATO may be misjudging their ability to control escalation.
Rethinking Escalation in South Asia
This article is based on BASIC’s latest report, Addressing Future Nuclear Crisis Scenarios in South Asia through a Responsibility-Based Approach, and subsequent report launch event co-hosted by Center for Security, Strategy and Policy Research (CSSPR) at the University of Lahore and BASIC’s Responsibilities and Global Governance Programme.
Updating Reykjavík’s Lessons for Unlocking Progress, Recognising the Space-Nuclear Nexus
In our series marking the 40th anniversary of the historic Reykjavík Summit, Policy Fellows Dr Matthew Hartwell and Ching Wei Sooi explain that nuclear and space risks are now deeply intertwined, yet still tackled separately. That blind spot is stifling the diplomacy and dialogue needed to keep today’s rivalries stable.
Video: Nuclear Transparency Inventory (NUTRI) Launch Webinar
On 13 October 2026, BASIC hosted the official launch of the Nuclear Transparency Inventory (NUTRI) website with a panel of distinguished experts. The launch webinar included a deep dive into the origins of the project, the motivations and methodology behind the data, future plans for the project, and was followed by an audience Q&A.
Report: Governing Military AI: Designing Meaningful Human Control in AI-Enabled Decision-Making
As states expand their use of AI in military decision-making, is being “looped in” enough to ensure that a human can exercise proper judgement and control? Drawing on 32 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders across 14 countries, this report argues for a context-sensitive and risk-proportionate approach to Human-Machine Interaction (HMI).
Reported, Denied, and Suspected: Implications of a Case of Possible Laboratory-Acquired Plague Infection in the Russian Federation
BASIC’s latest Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Brief, “Reported, Denied, and Suspected”, by guest contributor Péter Marton, examines the recent death of a worker at Russia’s Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute and what the official response means for global biosecurity.