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20 October 2025 - The National Security Strategy - Oral evidence

Committee National Security Strategy (Joint Committee)
Inquiry The National Security Strategy

Monday 20 October 2025

Start times: 4:00pm (private) 4:30pm (public)


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How should the UK project strength in a shifting nuclear landscape? Committee continues inquiry on National Security Strategy 

The cross-party Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy will explore how the UK can help sustain nuclear stability amid increasing concern about adversary intentions, US deterrence and risks around unintended escalation. 

Meeting details

At 4:30pm: Oral evidence
Inquiry The National Security Strategy
Former Deputy Secretary General at NATO; and former Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security at US State Department
Senior Research Fellow, International Security Programme at Chatham House; and former Co-Director at BASIC
At 5:15pm: Oral evidence
Inquiry The National Security Strategy
Former Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations; and former Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK
Chief of Staff, Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department; and Senior Fellow, Middle East Program at Center for International and Strategic Affairs

The session will also cover the UK’s relationships with India and countries in the Middle East in the context of growing challenges around the trade-offs between security and economic relationships, and the transfer of sensitive technology.   

The session forms part of the Committee’s ongoing inquiry into the UK’s new National Security Strategy, published earlier this year.  

Witnesses will include security and geopolitics experts and former senior officials with experience working at NATO, the US State Department, India’s diplomatic service and think tanks.  

Members of the Committee are likely to ask witnesses:  

  • How the UK should respond to the risks of nuclear proliferation and concerns about safeguarding the credibility of the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent; 
  • The options and risks around reducing strategic dependence on the United States;  
  • What role the UK could play in containing Iranian activity, and how the Government should prioritise across the Euro-Atlantic, Indo Pacific and Middle East regions; 
  • How the changing security environment in the Indo-Pacific and Middle East is likely to affect the UK’s relationships in the regions. 

Location

Room 4A, Palace of Westminster

How to attend