The significance of the Indo-Pacific for India

Context: India’s novel approach fits well with the US strategy which shows under USA's policy document on Indo-Pacific.
Key Points

• The USA seeks free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient in Indo-Pacific. It says that it cannot accomplish it alone and needs the cooperation of other countries that share a similar vision.
• USA seeks to work with India through regional groupings to promote stability in South Asia; collaborate in new domains like health, space, cyberspace, and deepen economic and technology cooperation.

How USA strategy is different from the past?

• Earlier, USA worked bilaterally and through military alliances. Now the USA is encouraging allies and partners to strengthen their ties with one another. The USA is ready for more networked regional architecture.

How has Indian diplomacy changed?
India is working through two important pillars.

• First, strengthening regional and bilateral relations through political interactions, regional groupings like ASEAN.
• Second, renewed military diplomacy by encouraging military sales like the sale of the three missile batteries to the Philippines.

Both above can shown in an imminent early harvest trade deal with Australia and the sale of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile systems to the Philippines lend a sharper edge to India’s engagement with the Indo-Pacific.
Key Suggestions

• India’s decision to walk out of RCEP and emphasis on Atma Nirbhar Bharat raise doubts about a return to the protectionist regime. It needs to liberalize trade relations with strategic partners like Australia.
• India has intensified trade talks with the UAE, Israel, and UK. But it needs to focus more on ties to the USA and EU.
• In terms of military diplomacy, India needs to strengthen its domestic military production and technological base.

Road Ahead

• The US acknowledges that “India is a like-minded partner and leader in South Asia and the Indian Ocean, active in and connected to Southeast Asia, a driving force of the Quad and other regional fora, and an engine for regional growth and development.” Therefore, Strengthening engagement with the region, stronger partnerships can enhance India’s reach and impact.