INDO-PACIFIC REPORT 2019: Indo-Pacific Partnership: Realising the Benefits of Economic and Maritime Cooperation (original) (raw)
THE 'INDO-PACIFIC' IDEA: ORIGINS, CONCEPTUALIZATIONS AND THE WAY AHEAD
Journal of Indian Ocean Rim Studies (JIORS) , 2019
The Indo-Pacific concept—representing the 'maritime underbelly‘ of Asia—is being used increasingly in the contemporary geopolitical discourse. The paper examines the progressive genesis of the Indo-Pacific idea since the 1920s, along with the circumstances that led to its rebirth in 2006. Essentially, this was a result of the increased 'security‘ linkages between the two oceans, with China being a major factor. In the main analysis, the paper explores the strategic drivers, interests, approaches and perspectives of the key regional players and stakeholders— like the ASEAN, Australia, China, the EU, Japan, and the USA, with a specific focus on India. Based on an exploratory research methodology, the paper analyses the current trends, deducing a policy-relevant prognosis for the regional countries and stakeholders. In particular, it examines the emerging Indo-Pacific multilateral architecture, and the leading role that the existing organizations like the EAS and the IORA could play in it, along with the new Quadrilateral Dialogue (Quad 2.0). The paper concludes with recommendations to meet the overarching objective of the Indo-Pacific vision: economic, material and societal prosperity of maritime-Asia. These are of much relevance for Indian policy-making, considering its long-overdue formal articulation of a national-strategy. In context of the Quad 2.0, it suggests that 'security‘ issues need not receive undue salience, since military strategy is merely a mechanism for 'assurance‘ and 'insurance‘ to achieve the ends of the Indo-Pacific vision.
"The Indo-Pacific area as a region Challenges and Opportunities for India"
The shifting of global politics from Europe and North America to Asia, and the rise of China and India's economic power in the world have drastically increased the significance of the Indo-Pacific region. Today, the Indo-Pacific region has become the center of gravity of the world's politics and economy. The movement of the global economic center of gravity to Asia via the global shift in manufacturing (China) and outsourcing of services (India) can lead to change in world politics. Emerging China is a threat to the west hegemony and India as well. The research is conducted to know about the growing geostrategic and geopolitical importance of the Indo-Pacific for India and how it is changing dynamically. This study also shows the role of India in the Indo-Pacific region and the enormous challenges, opportunities, and threats from other states.
Indo-Pacific Perspectives: Australia, ASEAN and India
Centre for Public Policy Research, 2023
The Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), Kochi, India and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia decided to come together to pool their academic and policy research capacities to build a robust research agenda on the Indo-Pacific. In March 2022, CPPR and Monash University hosted ‘Dialogue on Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI): Strengthening International Cooperation’ in a hybrid (physical-digital) format. Scholars from ASEAN, Australia, India and Japan were invited to discuss the various pillars of the IPOI and accelerated long-term growth in the Indo-Pacific region. The Dialogue was supported by the Department of Foreign Trade (DFAT), Government of Australia.
Evolving Dynamics in the Indo-Pacific: Deliberating India’s Position
2018
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India in Indo-Pacific: from SAGAR to Mahasagar
International Research Journal of Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies (IRJHIS) , 2025
The Indo-Pacific region has become a pivotal arena for global geopolitical and economic shifts, shaped by evolving power dynamics, strategic rivalries, and emerging maritime security challenges. This paper explores the changing landscape of the Indo-Pacific, emphasizing key geopolitical issues such as the expanding influence of China, the militarization of critical maritime chokepoints, and the intricate interplay among regional and global powers. In response to these challenges, India has articulated a dynamic maritime strategy through its flagship initiatives, "SAGAR" (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and "MAHASAGAR" (Maritime Awareness for Security and Growth in the Region). These strategic frameworks reflect India's broader geopolitical ambitions, highlighting its commitment to regional security, economic prosperity, and the promotion of a rules-based international order. Through this analysis, the paper sheds light on the nuanced evolution of India's maritime strategy and its role in shaping the future of the Indo-Pacific. In conclusion, the Indo-Pacific is increasingly characterized by a complex mix of competition, contestation, and conflict, alongside cooperation, collaboration, and convergence. India's initiatives under SAGAR and MAHASAGAR underscore its proactive approach to safeguarding maritime interests, fostering regional prosperity, and asserting its leadership within the Indo-Pacific region.
Maritime options for India in Indo-Pacific
isara solutions, 2021
The shifting of global maritime politics from Atlantic to Pacific and Indian Ocean due to their maritime importance and sea line of Communication. Presently, the Pacific and the Indian ocean combines as a wide region named as 'the Indo-Pacific region'. The maritime interests of western nation and littoral countries in this region are so competitive. The rise of China and India's economic power in the world has drastically enhanced the significance of Indo-Pacific region. The research is conducted to know about the growing maritime importance of Indo-Pacific for India and how it is changing dynamically. This study also shows the maritime options for India in Indo-Pacific and the various dimension of India in the region.
Maritime Issues and Regional Order in the Indo-Pacific Editors (view affiliations) Leszek BuszynskiDo Thanh Hai, 2021
India's vision for the Indo-Pacific is that of a free, open, transparent, rules-based, peaceful, prosperous, and inclusive region, governed by international law, in particular, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including freedom of navigation and overflight. India views it as one interconnected, interdependent natural region that extends from the shores of Africa to the shores of America. India's interest in the emerging security and cooperative dynamics of the Indo-Pacific became evident with the upgrading of its Look East Policy to its Act East Policy in November 2014 which extended India's vision beyond ASEAN. By virtue of geographical location, the Indo-Pacific is the crossroads of the world's maritime traffic. Over half of the world's commercial shipping passes through these waterways. India views the seas and oceans as "crit-ical enablers of our prosperity." The Indo-Pacific signifies the increasing human dependence on the maritime domain. The term has an implied reference in it to the Indian Ocean, not India alone but India with its central position in the region, its large economy, and a strong Navy. But
Assessing India’s Role in the Indo-Pacific’s ‘Great Game’
Electronic Journal of Social and Strategic Studies
India's vision/strategy of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), and endeavours like Neighbourhood First, Act East Policy, and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) find resonance in the strategies, guidelines, and policies of many like-minded nations. India seeks to pursue and place the Indo-Pacific Region (IPR) as a free, open, and inclusive region, based on the international rules-based order. While this may be seen as India seeking strategic parity vis-á-vis China, the approach will enhance mutually beneficial and rewarding ties with like-minded nations in the region and globally, and place India as a reliable power, friend, and partner. India has portrayed all the characteristics of emerging as an Indo-Pacific maritime power. It is all but clear that if there is indeed an 'Indo-Pacific Great Game', India appears to have positioned itself at the forefront, from accepting the penetration of the term 'Indo-Pacific', and defining it in geographic terms. Through initiatives such as an endorsement of a free and open Indo-Pacific (to which India added 'inclusive') and the Prime Minister's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) which is founded on several notable and necessary pillars, India has conveyed its Indo-Pacific inclinations to the region and the world. The Paper aims to analyse how India will play out its endeavours in the Indo-Pacific's 'Great Game' to best serve its national interests, while retaining a focus on the inclusivity, stability, security, and peace of the IPR. The geopolitical, geo-economic, and geostrategic goals of India as a major player in the IPR may appear apparent in their definition and scope, but the methodology of achieving them is slowly unfolding, and the final result may be difficult to ascertain. The Paper will also aim to assess the static, dynamic, and interlinking factors that are cause for India's fillip into the 'Indo-Pacific's 'Great Game', and offer some conclusive thoughts to support India's endeavours in the IPR.
India’s Engagement in the Indo-Pacific Region
isara solutions, 2018
In recent years, the geopolitical concept of the "IndoPacific" has gained traction in global geopolitics. The construction has been defined as a region that envelops a wide area from the Western Pacific to the Western Indian Ocean reaching the East African shores. The term ‘IndoPacific’ was elucidated by the geopolitics scholar Karl Haushofer coining the term as ‘IndopazifischenRaum’. Haushofer termed it as the ‘dense IndoPacific’ concentration of humanity and cultural empire of India and China, which are geographically sheltered behind the protective veil of the offshore island arcs’. In this paper author describes why india need to be engaged in this geographical region. Author’s also elucidated historical context of the term Indo-Pacific.
Home to Asia’s resource-rich maritime commons and congested sea-lanes, the Indo-Pacific is fast emerging as a vital geo-strategic theatre of global power-play. With a key geographic position in the centre of the integrated space, India plays an important part in regional stability and security. Notwithstanding apprehensions that naval pro-activism in the Western Pacific may result in a confrontation with China, India is well positioned to partner regional states without threatening the security of other rising powers.
The New India-US Partnership in the Indo-Pacific: Peace, Prosperity and Security
The New India-US Partnership in the Indo-Pacific: Peace, Prosperity and Security, 2018
Over the years, India earned the epithet of a reluctant power in Asia — exuberant in its aspirations, yet guarded in its strategy. However, as the challenges in its immediate neighbourhood and beyond continue to evolve, India is today gearing up to embrace a larger role in the far wider theatre of the Indo-Pacific. Forming the core of the ongoing global economic and strategic transitions are a rising and assertive China, an eastward shifting economic locus, and the faltering of Western-led multilateral institutions. These converge with domestic development and national security objectives to demand that India strive to expand its presence, reach, and voice both on land and in the sea in its extended neighbour hood. Today, New Delhi is actively seeking to create opportunities for mutual development in the Indo-Pacific, in the Arabian Sea and in Africa even as it engages like-minded nations in the pursuit and preservation of a rules-based order that promotes transparency, respect for sovereignty and international law, stability, and free and fair trade. In both these endeavours, the United States is an appropriate and willing partner. As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated in his address to the US Congress in 2016, “[a] strong India-US partnership can anchor peace, prosperity, and stability from Asia to Africa and from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific.
The ‘Indo-Pacific’ Concept: Retrospect and Prospect (Origin of the Concept in 2006-07)
Since 2010, the ‘Indo-Pacific’ concept has gained increasing prevalence in the geopolitical and strategic discourse. It is now precisely a decade since 2007 when the concept was first proposed by the author in an academic paper. Undeniably, there are distinct differences between Indian Ocean Region and Western Pacific. If so, how did the concept of ‘Indo-Pacific take root? It is a conceptual ‘aberration’? What was the underlying rationale behind the use of the term? This essay seeks to examine these pertinent issues & presents a prognosis on the future relevance of the ‘Indo-Pacific’ concept.
The new 'Indo-Pacific' is headed for an era of more open strategic rivalry. At the forefront, China’s progressive expansion into the Indian Ocean to secure its interests along its Maritime Silk Road connectivity initiative is raising concerns about its assertive foreign and security policy. On the other side, a more robust collaboration is emerging between the status quo powers (US, Japan, India and Australia - the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue), which are wary of preserving a rules-based liberal democratic order. The focus on connectivity and maritime security puts Europe on the spot: as the greatest trading power with an interest in regional stability, Brussels will have to take a stance.
The challenges of building an Australia-India-US partnership in the Indo-Pacific
While there have been many positive developments in the Australia-India and US-India strategic relationships, they are still operating as separate bilateral relationships. The next step is to operationalise these relationships and bring them together into a trilateral security partnership with a primary focus on maritime security in the Indian Ocean. This will require both Australia and the United States to act outside their normal comfort zones in working with friends and allies.