The Astana Think Tank Forum 2025, themed “From Polarization to Partnership: Rebuilding Trust in the International System,” continued its work with a focus on global order transformation and nuclear security.
During the second and third sessions, participants discussed the ongoing shift from a unipolar to a multipolar world order, as well as issues of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.
The second session, titled “The End of Unipolarity: Shifting Power Balances and the Future of Multilateralism,” was moderated by Askar Nursha, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs at the Eurasian Technological University (Kazakhstan).
Participants explored how the rise of regional powers is reshaping the architecture of international relations. The session examined how different regions are adapting to this new reality and what opportunities exist for developing more inclusive and resilient international partnerships. A particular focus was placed on dialogue and mutual trust as key tools for conflict prevention and for navigating geopolitical challenges constructively.
Ashok Sajjanhar, President of the Institute of Global Studies (India), emphasized the need to give serious attention to the most pressing global threats – security, climate change, terrorism, pandemics, emerging technologies, and artificial intelligence.
Eric Rudenshiold, Research Director and Senior Fellow at the Caspian Policy Center (USA), addressed the role of Central Asia in the new multipolar context and the redistribution of power across Eurasia.
“Today, Central Asia is emerging as a cluster of independent middle powers. The rise of Central Asian countries as middle powers forces us to rethink the very concept of great power rivalry. Kazakhstan and its neighbors – each in their own way – are no longer just reacting to external influences but are now shaping regional dynamics themselves,” said Rudenshiold.
Erdenetsogt Dorjpalam, Head of the Center of Central Asia Studies at the Institute for Strategic Studies under the National Security Council of Mongolia, noted that the rapid economic growth of the Global South has been a catalyst for the shift from a unipolar system to a multipolar world.
“The world’s economic potential is shifting from West to East, from North to South. New transport, industrial, and technological hubs are emerging, and the center of gravity in the multipolar world is increasingly concentrated in Eurasia,” the Mongolian expert stressed.
The third session, “The Nuclear Challenge: Non-Proliferation and Disarmament in an Era of Strategic Rivalry,” was moderated by Dauren Aben, Head of the International Security Department at KazISS under the President of Kazakhstan.
Participants acknowledged that traditional arms control and non-proliferation mechanisms –designed for a bipolar world –are struggling to cope with the current diversity of nuclear players and competing strategic powers.
Nevertheless, Vladimir Orlov, Founding Director of PIR Center and Professor at MGIMO University (Russia), emphasized that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) remains a unique and universally accepted treaty.
“Its three pillars – disarmament, peaceful nuclear energy development, and non-proliferation – remain relevant to all countries,” the Russian expert stated.
Daryl Kimball, Executive Director of the Arms Control Association (USA), focused on strengthening nuclear safeguards and advancing disarmament diplomacy in the new era of strategic rivalry.
“In today’s environment, all responsible states must uphold the norms of the NPT that prevent accumulation, proliferation, testing, and the threat of use of nuclear weapons. Civil society and governments alike must clearly state that any use or threat of nuclear weapons is extremely dangerous and unacceptable under any circumstances,” Kimball urged.
Rajiv Nayan, Senior Research Associate at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses (India), echoed the sentiment, highlighting that the NPT serves as a pillar of stability in the current global non-proliferation and disarmament architecture. He noted that multilateral arms control continues to play a stabilizing role, and its institutional mechanisms remain active.
Ali Sarwar Naqvi, Executive Director of the Center for International Strategic Studies (Pakistan), stressed the importance of diplomatic efforts to avoid escalation in South Asia and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to resolving issues through consensus.
Finally, Tariq Rauf, an independent nuclear governance expert and former Head of the Department for Security Policy Coordination and Control at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA, Austria), emphasized Kazakhstan’s outstanding contribution to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
“Your country is one of the largest suppliers of nuclear energy resources. Moreover, Kazakhstan has managed to maintain constructive cooperation with all nuclear powers. This is, in my view, a major achievement,” Rauf stated.
Throughout the session, participants explored the prospects for maintaining multilateral arms control in an era of strategic competition, discussed innovative approaches to reducing nuclear risks, and analyzed how non-nuclear states can help bridge divisions between nuclear-armed nations.
The Astana Think Tank Forum 2025 continues on October 15–16, with further sessions addressing critical issues of international security and cooperation.
