In the volatile arena of 2025, realism—the idea that states act to maximize power and protect sovereignty in an anarchic international system—remains sharply relevant. Recent aggressive moves by India and Israel offer vivid case studies.
In May 2025, following the Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor, firing BrahMos cruise missiles at nine locations in Pakistan‐administered Kashmir and airbases on May 7, prompting Pakistan to close its airspace and suspend treaties This show of force was a preemptive assertion of security and regional dominance, a clear illustration of realist logic where strategic calculus outweighs diplomacy.
Meanwhile, on June 13, 2025, Israel carried out Operation Rising Lion, targeting Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, including the Natanz enrichment site. The strikes killed senior IRGC commanders and nuclear scientists, in a preemptive move aimed at neutralizing a perceived existential threat.This unilateral action, taken without waiting for multilateral consensus, underscores realism’s emphasis on self-reliance and survival.
These events confirm that states still center policy on national interest and power, over ethical norms or international structures. While realism may lack idealism, its pragmatic lens helps explain why preemptive strikes and strategic brinkmanship dominate modern statecraft.
Policymakers should harness realism not as resignation to conflict, but as a tool for crafting deterrence frameworks that balance hard security with calibrated diplomacy—acknowledging power while reducing miscalculation risks.