Economic and Resource Security

Economic competition and resource control have become central instruments of strategic influence and geopolitical power projection in the modern international system. States increasingly employ sanctions, trade restrictions, supply chain manipulation, energy leverage, financial coercion, technological denial, and strategic resource competition as tools of economic warfare and geopolitical pressure. Simultaneously, critical dependencies involving energy corridors, semiconductor supply chains, rare earth minerals, strategic infrastructure, and global trade networks are reshaping national security calculations across the world.

The Economic and Resource Security category serves as CNAWS’ dedicated research hub for analysing economic statecraft, geoeconomic competition, sanctions regimes, strategic resources, supply chain vulnerabilities, trade conflicts, and resource-driven geopolitical competition. The category examines how economic instruments are increasingly integrated into broader national security strategies and conflict ecosystems.

Particular emphasis is placed on strategic energy competition, maritime trade routes, critical infrastructure protection, economic coercion, technological dependencies, and the security implications of global economic fragmentation. Through strategic analysis and policy-oriented research, CNAWS seeks to evaluate how economic power, resource access, and financial leverage are shaping modern conflict dynamics, geopolitical alignments, and future security environments.