Strategic Factors and Consequences of Military Modernization in Southeast Asia after the Cold War

The end of the Cold War created a transformed strategic environment in Southeast Asia, where states suddenly faced the dual challenge of adapting to new global dynamics and responding to persistent regional rivalries. With the binary logic of bipolar confrontation gone, national security priorities diversified, reflecting a mix of domestic imperatives, territorial disputes, and aspirations for international recognition. The modernization of armed forces became an essential tool through which governments sought to safeguard sovereignty, project deterrent capability, and position themselves within wider global security frameworks. The focus was not only on replacing obsolete equipment but also on building institutional resilience, operational flexibility, and technological sophistication. These ambitions coincided with rapid economic growth in parts of the region, providing both fiscal means and political legitimacy to pursue ambitious procurement programs. Modernization thus developed as a multidimensional process shaped by economics, politics, and geopolitics alike, reflecting the complex demands of the post–Cold War order.