The National Defence Institute (IDN) held the 19th meeting of the Atlantic Studies Group (GRA) on 2 October 2026, providing a forum for reflection and discussion on the theme “Connecting the Indo-Pacific and the Atlantic". The meeting featured a presentation by Captain Matt Richardson, Defence Attaché at the Australian Embassy, as guest speaker.
Against a backdrop of growing interdependence between security and defence challenges in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions, the war in Ukraine and persistent conflict in the Middle East intersect with China's growing prominence as a strategic competitor and uncertainty surrounding the future direction of United States security and defence policy. Within this increasingly complex and interconnected geopolitical environment, particular importance is attached to analyzing relations between NATO's European Allies, the United States and Australia, as well as the implications of these developments for security and defence in both the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions.
The Reflection Group is coordinated by Professor Carlos Gaspar and Professor Patricia Daehnhardt. The GRA serves as a forum for discussion on transatlantic and European issues relevant to foreign, security and defence policies, bringing together experts from research centres and government ministries, academics, think-tank experts, diplomats, parliamentarians and military officers.