The Indo-Pacific region has emerged as one of the critical regions for economic, military, and political development; it has risen to be one of the dynamic regions in present times, and it has gained prominence in geopolitical discourses. The region possesses some important maritime roots for trade connecting different parts of the world from East Africa to the Western Pacific. Major regional powers such as Australia, Japan, the United States, and China also hold a stake in the region due to its strategic importance in the present time of shifting globalisation in the 21st century. The wider Indo-Pacific region stretches from India to the western Pacific. It is home to over 3.5 billion people with a combined gross domestic product of over 20 trillion, consisting of the largest economies like China, Japan and India. Considering India's history and geography, the emergence of India in the Indo-Pacific region is expected to play a vital role in providing balance and stability to the region to promote economy and security.

India and the Indo-Pacific

The Indo-Pacific region is home to diverse political, economic, and cultural entities; the region consists of countries having various agendas for their development. The Indo-Pacific holds strategic significance to India for several reasons, as it consists of critical maritime trade routes and strategic sea routes connecting different parts of the world. The rise of China in the South China Sea by militarisation poses a significant and immediate threat not only to India but also to the countries in the Indo-Pacific. The issue of China's power dominance has brought about a multipolar regional order in the region, necessitating a strategic response.

India's approach to the Indo-Pacific is a subject of significant interest. The region is home to several key players, each vying for dominance. Countries like Australia, Japan, and the United States, along with institutions such as ASEAN and QUAD, play a pivotal role in shaping the Indo-Pacific's future. India's unique geographical position places it at the centre of this power struggle. While India's initial objective was to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific guided by international law, its focus has now shifted to securing and strengthening its relations with the region's key nations. 

India's Act East policy  

 India's initial engagement with the East Asian regions was through the 'Look East' policy introduced by Prime Minister Narasimha Rao in 1992. This policy propelled India to become a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN, marking the beginning of intensified relations between India and the ASEAN countries. The policy also underscored India's growing importance in the Indo-Pacific region. During Prime Minister Modi's tenure, the policy was advanced to 'Act East ', reaffirming India's action-oriented approach to the region and signalling India's long-term vision for development.

India's relationship with ASEAN has significantly evolved, making it a sectoral dialogue partner. This partnership has played a crucial role in establishing the East Asia Summit. India has become a stable, cooperative economic and institutional partner in the region. The ASEAN and India-led partnership promotes primary objectives like peace and stability in the region. India's bilateral and multilateral relations with the ASEAN countries are instrumental in helping India respond effectively to the challenges arising in the Indo-Pacific, instilling confidence in India's ability to navigate the region's complexities.

India-QUAD relations play a crucial role in India's engagement in the Indo-Pacific. It allows India to address concerns of China's partnership with other states in the region. The institutions dedicated to the region promote the technology and security threats that China poses. The joint military exercises among the QUAD countries enhance the military cooperation and capabilities of the countries. However, India's engagement with QUAD needs diplomatic manoeuvring as the partner countries have different agendas and interests. Japan has shown solidarity in a collected rule-based world order and has also actively invested in infrastructure projects in India. Australia, on the other hand, relies on the United States for its security. Australia's stand questions India's role and capabilities in the region.

The western Indian Ocean region is equally important to India. It connects the Persian Gulf and the border Middle East, and the region is very rich in trade for India. In these regions, India works extensively with the island countries, providing security and resources like helicopters and patrol vessels to countries like Mauritius and Seychelles. These countries are important to India as they are located in the region's special economic zones. India’s most crucial partner in this region is France. The partnership includes corporations on the region's defence, economy and maritime security. There is a fair presence in places like the Reunion Islands and Djibouti. France is a crucial partner to India in areas such as renewable energy and aerospace. The Indofrence ties extend to initiatives like the Indo-Pacific triangular development fund for sustainable development.

Free and open Indian Ocean

The Indo-Pacific region, stretching from the Indian Ocean to the Middle East and Africa, is at the core of the world's economy and supports more than half of the world's population. However, at the same time, it is a region with relations at work and experiences deistic shifts in the regional power balance. The region also poses various kinds of threats to trade and security activities in the Indo-Pacific. The vast region from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean is surrounded by many prosperous countries and important trade routes that connect the global economy. The region's major powers must promote Freedom of navigation and the rule of law. In the Indo-Pacific, countries should ensure that the region is used for the public good and prosperity of all countries without threats or discrimination in the future. As the idea of a free and open Indo-Pacific is a concept of growth, it does not rely on any country or an institution to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. Still, it should be a shared vision with the major economically stronger countries playing a significant role in promoting the vision. India made a firm policy decision in the Indo-Pacific, promoting rule-based world order given India's current prospects and security, which provided India with an important role.

China's growing threat

India's relations with China have hit rock bottom after the standoff along the LAC. China's rising ambitions for the region of Indo-Pacific have concerned the ASEAN nations, who are watching Beijing's aggressive attitude in the sea waters. The smaller countries like Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam have fallen for the choking strategy of China. China tries to make a big military footprint in the region to portray dominance in the region. The 'string of pearls' strategy and the OBOR has proved effective for China's stronghold in the region. China's stronghold on India should be one of India's primary concerns. The evolving 'Beijing-Islamabad Kathmandu axis, a strategic alliance between China, Pakistan, and Nepal, supports a hypocritical China-centric order in the region. The 'string of pearls' strategy and the OBOR (One Belt, One Road) grant dominance for China in the Indo-Pacific, which helps China to connect to far-extended regions to the West. Beijing appears to have thrown its gauntlet not only on India but also upon almost all states in the region with a hypocritical and selfish interest in its imperialism policy to the Indo-Pacific region.

India’s strategy 

India's interest in the Indo-Pacific has significantly increased in recent times. India has shown signs of increasing its maritime security in the region, and India has come up with its own maritime strategy to counter China in the region. The necklace of the diamonds strategy was brought up to counter China's strategy of a string of pearls strategy. India also reached an agreement in 2015 with Mauritius, providing Indian forces with agalege facilities to develop a runway. ASEAN partnership also plays a vital role in securing the Indo-Pacific region. In addition, the US-India joint strategic vision for the Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean region, which was realised in 2015, is a significant alliance that increases India's power projection. This vision outlines the shared interests and objectives of the two countries in the region, including maritime security, freedom of navigation, and regional stability. India has also obtained military access to Sabang Port in 2018 and the northern entrance of the Strait of Malacca in Indonesia. India's investment in Iran's Chabahar port reflects India's strategies towards the region.

Prospects for India

India's future in the Indo-Pacific depends on its ability to navigate challenges. India's crucial interest will be maintaining maritime dominance and economic integration in the Indo-Pacific. The role of India in the Indo-Pacific will be assessed based on several factors, such as the evolving geopolitical scenario in the region and India's diplomatic choices. The domestic capabilities of India in the sectors of the economy and military modernisation will help India to stay as a significant player in the Indo-Pacific, and the regional engagement with the regional corporation and multilateral engagement and fostering economic engagement with the Indo-Pacific countries will help India foster its interest in the region and India's relations with QUAD will assist in maintaining multilateral defence and economic cooperation with like-minded countries. India's naval diplomacy in the region by maintaining partnerships through training and goodwill missions demonstrates the might of India's defence ties in the Indo-Pacific.

Changes in power dynamics

India's role is essential to the Indo-Pacific as a growing power. As the global fulcrum of power is shifting further towards Asia, Ii brings significant changes in the power dynamics of the Indo-Pacific. India's role in the Indo-Pacific will portray its interest in keeping the region secure and economically active. Diplomatic navigation in crucial geopolitical situations can leverage India to play a significant role in stabilising India's role in the Indo-Pacific. Given India's historical and geographical understanding, it should work towards maintaining sovereignty, territorial integrity, and sustainability in the region. India's active involvement in the region could also give an alternative to the ASEAN countries, where they don’t have to rely for security on countries like the U.S. and China.

China's rising military and economic involvement in the region provides India with a strategic challenge to formulate a foreign and security blueprint for the Indo-Pacific. As India pushes for a rule-based world order, India can play a vital role in promoting the same in the Indo-Pacific region by having strategic flexibility in the changing geopolitical landscape where the priorities of major countries vary. As the Indo-Pacific region is filled with abundant resources and opportunities, India's strategic engagement could tap into new prospects while securing the Indo-Pacific with like-minded countries with similar value systems.

(The author is pursuing a Master’s in Politics and International Studies at Pondicherry University. Views are personal. He can be contacted at praneshselvaraj@outlook.com )