Experts Flag Escalating Hybrid Threats in Europe and Indo-Pacific

Security experts are sounding the alarm on the growing risks posed by gray zone tactics, lawfare, cyberattacks, and the disruptive use of emerging technologies—challenges that are increasingly destabilizing both Europe and the Indo-Pacific.

These warnings came during the high-level forum “Navigating Asymmetric Threats: Cross-Regional Strategies for Europe and the Indo-Pacific”, organized by the Stratbase Institute in partnership with the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), held at The Conservatory, The Peninsula Manila on September 18, 2025. The full-day dialogue underscored how the two regions, though geographically distant, have become strategic flashpoints in the evolving landscape of asymmetric threats.

Rear Admiral Guillaume Pinget, Commander of the French Armed Forces in the Pacific, described these challenges as “a strategic tool,” warning that the use of force in state disputes is now “uninhibited.” He pointed to the parallel technological race unfolding in areas such as AI, drones, space, cyber, and electronic spectrum, stressing that these developments threaten not just economic and political systems but also democratic freedoms and national sovereignty.

Stratbase Institute President Prof. Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit emphasized the urgency of cross-regional collaboration, noting how Europe and the Indo-Pacific are now “intertwined” by shared security and prosperity goals. “We may be halfway across the world from each other, but changing times have narrowed the gaps. Security and prosperity are our common goals,” he said, affirming the Institute’s commitment to deepen cooperation with governments, the private sector, and the diplomatic community.

Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Año echoed these calls, identifying energy, critical infrastructure, and advanced technologies as priority areas for stronger cooperation. He underscored the need for freedom of navigation and regional stability in contested waters, stressing that while ASEAN states do not seek conflict, all must prepare for the risks of escalation. Año also urged exploring alternatives to reduce dependence on a single power, citing education, health, and infrastructure as avenues for collective resilience.
Looking forward, Año highlighted the role of innovation in shaping future defense strategies: “The way ahead for us should be about innovation strategy and harnessing new technologies as tools for collective security. Despite unprecedented risks, I am optimistic that our regions have the resources, capacities, and willpower to shape the future.”

ECFR Distinguished Visiting Fellow James Crabtree added that shared experiences among like-minded states are critical. He cited Russia’s gray zone activities in Europe—from drones in Poland to helicopters in Estonia—and drew parallels to rising challenges in the Indo-Pacific, including recent threats to cable infrastructure and persistent pressure in the Taiwan Strait and the West Philippine Sea.

Across four in-depth panels, experts explored the ripple effects of shifting U.S. security policy, the weaponization of lawfare, the vulnerability of undersea cables as global lifelines, and the destabilizing impact of emerging technologies. The forum closed with a resounding call for sustained cross-regional cooperation, innovation-driven security, and ASEAN-centric mechanisms for dialogue, affirming that Europe and the Indo-Pacific must act together to safeguard stability in an increasingly turbulent global order.