Today’s complex global landscape demands robust and effective strategic cooperation among like-minded Allies and partners who value a stable and open international system. The United States, NATO and Indo-Pacific Allies and partners have never been more focused on maintaining peace as China, Iran, North Korea and Russia increase their attempts to disrupt the international world order.
“Today, our region and the broader international community confront challenges of an unprecedented magnitude. The need for frank and open dialogue among defense leaders has never been greater,” Japan’s then-Minister of Defense Gen Nakatani said in May 2025 at the Shangri-La Dialogue defense forum. “Competition among nations is intensifying, growing ever more complex and extending across domains. And this is happening very rapidly. In these times, it is incumbent upon us to address the root causes.”
Efforts to scale deterrence include enhancing interoperability among Allies, integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into nuclear forces and upscaling alliances through combined training on advanced technologies that improve battlespace awareness and accelerate decision-making.
Stability hinges on mitigating regional tensions through diplomatic engagements and fostering mutual trust. Strengthening international institutions and Alliances such as NATO, promoting transparency in military activities and adhering to international laws can help reduce misunderstandings and prevent escalations.
“The reality is that peace and stability are still burning aspirations in many places around the world, areas where conflicts and wars have occurred, threatening and taking away human lives and the peace and happiness of the people,” Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang said during the Shangri-La Dialogue. “Ensuring stability in a competitive world is a prerequisite and indispensable condition for building a world of peace, stability, cooperation and development for the common interests of nations and peoples, and at the same time, it is an urgent requirement today.”
Investing in Deterrence
Deterrence remains a cornerstone of international security, serving as a critical mechanism to prevent aggression by making the cost of hostile actions unacceptably high for potential adversaries. Increasing deterrence efforts involves not only modernizing defense capabilities but also ensuring a unified and credible response to any threat.
For NATO and its Indo-Pacific Allies and partners, this means investing in advanced defense technologies, fortifying missile defense systems and enhancing rapid deployment capabilities. By demonstrating the ability to respond swiftly and effectively to threats, these alliances send a clear message that any act of aggression will be met with decisive and overwhelming force. This is particularly important in deterring state actors who may seek to exploit perceived weaknesses in the international security architecture.
To that end, NATO’s top civilian official has said the world can expect to see it become “more lethal” while remaining a defensive Alliance. “Becoming more lethal means strengthening our deterrence and defense posture. Providing our militaries with what they need to keep us safe. And showing any aggressor, we can, and will, hit back harder,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said in the United Kingdom in June 2025 during a speech on building a better NATO. “With our military power, and our resolve to use it, if necessary, no one should even think about attacking us.”
Enhancing Interoperability
Interoperability — the ability of different military forces to work seamlessly together — is a critical factor in the effectiveness of multinational coalitions. As NATO and Indo-Pacific Allies and partners operate in ever more integrated and complex environments, ensuring that their forces can communicate, integrate and operate together is paramount.
During an April 2025 meeting, Rutte and then-Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called the partnership between NATO and Japan one of strategic importance for the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions. “We recognize that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific are interconnected, and that we face many of the same challenges,” Rutte and Ishiba said in a joint statement following their meeting in Tokyo. “We share the belief that in a changing and uncertain security environment, continuing Japan-NATO cooperation will benefit the security and resilience of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific regions.”
Enhancing interoperability involves standardizing equipment, communication protocols and operational procedures across allied forces. This can be achieved through joint training exercises, shared technological solutions, and the development of common doctrines and strategies. By improving interoperability, allied forces can maximize their collective capabilities, respond more effectively to crises and maintain a unified front against common threats.
“Today, our cooperation is extensive, focusing on challenges that can impact the security of Japan and NATO,” Rutte and Ishiba added. “With the steady development of our partnership, we are taking steps to increase our ability to address these challenges in our respective regions, through our strategic cooperation in areas like cyber defense, space, emerging and disruptive technologies, and interoperability.”
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reiterated the United States’ commitment to deterrence during his remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May 2025, noting that the United States is an Indo-Pacific nation and will continue to be one “for generations to come.”
“The United States is committed to achieving peace through strength,” he said. “That starts with deterring aggression around the world and here in the Indo-Pacific, here in our priority theater, here with you — our Allies and partners. The United States stands ready to work with any country that is willing to step up and preserve the global and regional peace that we all hold dear.”