Indo-Pacific region is a multi-polar region, contributing more than half of the world’s GDP and population. Countries falling in the direct hinterland of the vast Indian and Pacific oceanic expanse are termed ‘Indo-Pacific countries’.  The attributes of the Indo-Pacific are also highly appealing. The region comprises at least 38 countries that share 44 percent of world surface area and 65 per cent of world population, and account for 62 per cent of world–GDP and 46 per cent of the world’s merchandise trade.

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China’s growth in Indo-Pacific region:

• The Belt and Road Initiative lacked transparency and is aimed at fulfilling China’s own security and strategic interests rather than promoting economic development.
• Chinese investment and activities are undermining sovereignty and economic stability in the region and will also encounter global vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
• China’s aggression and debt trap diplomacy, which impinge sovereignty, is going to test Indian diplomacy.
• China is trying to hegemonize the open seas which goes against the rules-based order.
• China is very active in India’s maritime space but takes a different view when it comes to the South China Sea considered as “Beijing’s Lake”.
• In many cases, Chinese investment has harmed rather than helping the economic wellbeing of communities within the region by burdening the governments with unsustainable debts and funding projects that have no commercial job creation value

The regional countries in the Indo-pacific region are also adopting independent foreign policy approaches in line with the global rules based order.

India:

• India appears to have set a long-term plan during which it will build its capabilities—economic and military strength, network of military facilities and agreements to access military facilities in countries across the Indo-Pacific, expanding economic and military ties.
• With opening of economy, India has been connecting with its Indian Ocean neighbours and major maritime powers of the world.
• With impetus to Blue Economy, there has been a new reliance on the sea for energy and mineral resources.
• India has been engaging with regional actors on bilateral as well as multilateral framework.
• From Look East policy, there has been a graduation towards engage East policy with growing economic relations with the ASEAN, China, Japan and Australia.

USA, Japan and Australia:

• US administration is pushing the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy as its major economic initiative.
• From the US perspective, members would include its military partners in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Japan and Australia, as well as a major strategic partner like India, whom the US recognises as a defence partner.
• India’s inclusion in the US FOIP is inevitable, given the US’ visualising of Indo-Pacific as a geography engulfing the Indian Ocean.
• Japan, Australia and India are clearly the three most important strategic allies of the US in Asia.
• Any US plan to counterbalance Chinese influence particularly the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) requires the active support of all the three countries.
• Australia judges that the United States’ long-term interests will anchor its economic and security engagement in the Indo–Pacific. Most regional countries like South Korea, Vietnam clearly consider a significant US role in the Indo–Pacific as a stabilising influence.

Other countries:

• Being in the center of the Indo-Pacific region creates stress for the ASEAN countries regarding the way they relate to major powers.
• The ASEAN has always looked at the involvement of major powers as a measure of the region’s importance.
• While New Delhi and Tokyo have identified regional cooperation across the Indo-Pacific as a major objective of their bilateral partnership, cooperation with ASEAN remains at the heart of their Indo-Pacific approach.

Way Forward for India:

• Economically and strategically, the global centre of gravity is shifting to the Indo-Pacific. If the region’s stakeholders don’t act now to fortify an open, rules-based order, the security situation will continue to deteriorate—with consequences that are likely to reverberate worldwide.
• With joint military exercises, India will develop interoperability and standard operating procedures, which will help in any joint military operation or even possibly a military alliance in the future.
• The Quad Security cooperation among Japan, India, the US and Australia is increasingly plausible. The time has come to proactively further this cooperation to ensure prosperity and stability in the whole of Indo-Pacific.
• Groups like ASEAN and APEC will have to collectively approach China. Standing up to it and physically stopping illegal Chinese construction will gain international attention and the sympathy and backing of major powers.

Conclusion:

India is already assuming her responsibilities in securing the Indo-Pacific region. A strong India-US partnership can anchor peace, prosperity and stability from Asia to Africa and from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. It can also help ensure security of the sea-links of commerce and freedom of navigation on seas.