ACCORDING to the realists theory of international politics as explained in Morgenthau’s Politics Among Nations (1948), States exist within an anarchic international system in which they are ultimately dependent on their own capabilities, or power, to further their national interests. The most important national interest is the survival of the state, including its people, political system and territorial integrity. Hence the states try to gain maximum power to preserve their survival, where clash of interests can cause an aggressive state to attack a weaker state.

As per Britannica, the balance of power theory in international relations suggests that States may secure their survival by preventing any one state from gaining enough military power to dominate all others. In this regard, compared to their stronger adversaries, the weaker States can also enhance their power by pursuing a policy of balance of power in two ways: By increasing their own power; or by boosting their own power by embarking upon a policy of alliances.

After the break-up of the (former) Soviet Union in 1991, the balance of power system prevailing in the bipolar world, led by the US and the (then) Soviet Union, ended and the unipolar world system emerged with the US being the only superpower, which is still persisting although some major power are struggling to create a multipolar world. However, in this unipolar world, a nuclear power balance with Russia/China persists and power balancing against some regional threats is in the making.

For example, against perceived China threat to the East and South China threats to Japan and some South East Asian nations respectively over territorial disputes and over Taiwan’s unity with China dispute, the US has shored up its strength through alliances........

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