Narayan Srivastava is a Junior Research Fellow specializing in Indo-Pacific and NATO studies. He is a Lester B. Pearson International Scholar at the University of Toronto, where he is pursuing a double major in Political Science and Public Policy with a minor in Economics. Currently, Narayan is on academic exchange at King’s College London, furthering his research interests in global security, diplomacy, and international institutions. Beyond academia, Narayan is deeply engaged in leadership and public discourse. He is a TEDx and TED-Ed Speaker and serves as the Co-President of Dialogues at 1265 which is the University of Toronto Scarborough’s largest networking organization, connecting students with global leaders and industry specialists. He also works as a Career Strategist and Ambassador for CollegeConnect, mentoring students across India on higher education and scholarship opportunities. Narayan is the Co-Founder and Manager of The Bhoomi Initiative, a student-led environmental organization that has planted over 6,100 trees, impacted 1,000+ lives, and was nominated for the Diana Award. He is also the published author of 7 Mountains, a novel exploring the psychology of platonic relationships. His work reflects a commitment to bridging policy, academia, and community action in pursuit of global cooperation and sustainable change
In this article, Narayan Srivastava examines how China’s accelerating push into deep-
sea mineral partnerships across the Cook Islands, Kiribati, and Tonga is reshaping the
South Pacific’s strategic balance. The article also highlights emerging vulnerabilities for
Canada and NATO in critical mineral supply chains. The piece evaluates how Pacific
resource politics now intersect with broader questions of regional dependence, maritime influence, and great-power competition.
Narayan Srivastava highlights how NATO’s relevance in today’s multipolar world depends on engagement with the Global South. From safeguarding maritime chokepoints to strengthening resilience in energy and trade, actors like India, Brazil, and the Gulf states are emerging as indispensable partners. By expanding its partnership models and leveraging shared interests, this article explores how NATO can reinforce its role as the global custodian of stability, ensuring that the Alliance not only adapts to new realities but leads in shaping them.
NATO’s relevance in a multipolar world depends on engaging the Global South. From India to the Gulf, new partners can help NATO secure trade, energy & stability ensuring the alliance adapts and leads in shaping global order.
