ABSTRACT
The anarchic nature of international politics foments both competition and socialisation among the constituent units. States in geostrategic competition with the United States (US) are developing asymmetric capabilities to counter the American advantages; states with no major conflicts with the US are largely emulating the American model for establishing supremacy in local and regional contexts. At the same time, unlike the first two decades after the end of the Cold War, when international political structure was largely unipolar, American power is now under some strain. A number of emerging powers in the world are competing with the US for economic, geo-strategic and military influence. Therefore, knowing how individual states are transforming militarily is critical to understanding war and peace in the 21st century. The response of emerging powers to the changing nature of warfare also helps us understand their evolving thinking on the use of force in international and regional politics.
