On October 20–21, Pakistan hosted the Islamabad Non-Proliferation Conference (INC-2026), which focused on issues of nuclear deterrence, strategic stability, arms control, and emerging challenges to international security. Experts from Russia, Pakistan, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and India participated in the conference.

MGIMO was represented at INC-2026 by Dr. Andrey Malov, Leading Expert and Head of the «Military and Political Studies» Program at the Institute for International Studies (IfIS), who spoke at one of the working sessions, and Ms. Sofia Babkina, Research Fellow and Program Coordinator.

During the two-day conference, participants discussed the dynamics of nuclear deterrence and the risks of escalation in South Asia, the transformation of the global nuclear order, the crisis in the arms control architecture, and challenges to the nonproliferation regime. Separate discussions focused on reducing nuclear risks, the militarization of outer space, the development of missile defense systems, and the impact of new technologies on strategic theory.

The Russian Federation was also represented by experts from St. Petersburg State University, the Center for Energy and Security Studies, the E.M. Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), and the newspaper Kommersant.

Speaking at a session on the evolution of nuclear deterrence amid the transformation of the global nuclear order, Dr. Malov noted the intensification of geopolitical rivalry, the weakening of arms control mechanisms, and the growing disregard for international norms. In his assessment, the deployment of intermediate-range missiles, the deployment of global missile defense systems, and the militarization of outer space pose serious challenges to strategic stability.

Speaking about the prospects for establishing a sustainable security architecture, Dr. Malov pointed out the need to move away from bloc-based approaches in favor of a system that reflects today’s multipolar realities. From Russia’s perspective, a continental Eurasian security system should include all interested states that are prepared to adhere to the principles of equal and indivisible security.