Indo-Pacific Contestations : The New Normal

NEWS HIGHLIGHT 

Theme :  Bilateral, regional and global groupings involving India or affecting India’s interests.
Paper:GS - 2

The world is embracing a ‘new normal’ where new fault lines are being reconfigured in the Indo-Pacific The Indo-Pacific is a geopolitical construct that has emerged as a substitute to the long-prevalent “Asia-Pacific.Indian ocean and pacific ocean: It is an integrated theater that combines the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, and the land masses that surround them.Strategic and economic: It is both a strategic as well as an economic domain comprising important sea-lines of communication

TABLE OF CONTENT

1. Context
2. Indo-Pacific
3. Current Issues
4. Outreach by China
5. Steps by India & QUAD
6. Road Ahead

Context : The world is embracing a ‘new normal’ where new fault lines are being reconfigured in the Indo-Pacific.

Indo-Pacific : 

• The Indo-Pacific is a geopolitical construct that has emerged as a substitute to the long-prevalent “Asia-Pacific.
• Indian ocean and pacific ocean: It is an integrated theater that combines the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, and the land masses that surround them.
• Strategic and economic: It is both a strategic as well as an economic domain comprising important sea-lines of communication

Current Issues : 

• The COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• Nepal, the Maldives and Bhutan are struggling with depleting forex reserves.
• Bangladesh has reached a bailout agreement worth $4.5 billion with the International Monetary Fund.
• Sri Lanka is yet to chart its way out of the economic crisis.
• Energy shortages, inflation, and negative or slow economic growth are disrupting day-to-day activities in these countries.

Outreach by China : 

• Outreach in South Asia: It has increased manifold in the early 2000s with its economic boom.
• Strategic ends in the region through
• Loans
• Financial incentives
• Mega-infrastructure projects
• BRI: Launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013.
• Investments enabled China to access the Indian Ocean.
• Promote political and security ties in the region
• Harbor military vessels and submarines
• Take certain islands and ports on lease (including the Hambantota port of Sri Lanka).

Steps by India & QUAD :

• Maldives-‘India First’ policy: With massive economic assistance, grants, and infrastructure projects and by also cooperating on maritime security.
• In Nepal, Prime Minister Deuba’s government: It has attempted to improve Nepal’s overall bilateral relations with India.
• In Sri Lanka: India has provided economic and humanitarian assistance and investments worth $4 billion.
• Close cooperation with Quad: It has ensued among partners to collectively push against China and offer genuine alternatives to the BRI
• They have also been assisting Sri Lanka throughout the crisis.
• Japan: It is also finalizing its talks with Sri Lanka on debt restructuring.
• In Maldives: Australia and the S. have committed to opening their embassies and new areas of cooperation.
• The U.S: It signed a defense and security framework with the Maldives.
• Nepal: It ratified the U.S.’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (Nepal Compact).

Road Ahead : 

• Possibility of a two-front war persists: Pakistan’s strategic isolation, economic and political fallout, and border and terror challenges emanating from Afghanistan have minimized the likelihood of its aggression.
• China will continue to leverage its financial and economic might and political influence in South Asia.
• South Asian countries would hesitate to completely move away from China: They hope to exercise their agency by balancing with China and India essentially making this competition a ‘new normal’.
• India and its partners: They have started to make recent gains against China, and should be ready to embrace these challenges.

FAQs : 

1. What is the Indo-Pacific ?

ANS. 

• The Indo-Pacific is a geopolitical construct that has emerged as a substitute to the long-prevalent “Asia-Pacific.
• Indian ocean and pacific ocean: It is an integrated theater that combines the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, and the land masses that surround them.
• Strategic and economic: It is both a strategic as well as an economic domain comprising important sea-lines of communication.

2. When was BRI Launched ? 

ANS.

•  The Indo-Pacific is a geopolitical construct that has emerged as a substitute to the long-prevalent “Asia-Pacific.
• Indian ocean and pacific ocean: It is an integrated theater that combines the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, and the land masses that surround them.
• Strategic and economic: It is both a strategic as well as an economic domain comprising important sea-lines of communication.