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South Korea’s Indo-Pacific strategy, released in December 2022, highlights the country’s willingness to engage with the Indo-Pacific concept, shedding the ambiguity of the earlier stance under President Yoon Suk Yeol’s predecessor. This policy step up recognises emerging geopolitical trends that require South Korea to engage with new territories previously overlooked in its strategic radar, such as the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). This brief

South Korea’s Moon Jae-in government has adopted what it calls a “New Southern Policy”, and by most accounts, the strategy is aimed at strengthening the country’s relations with India. What is the rationale for South Korea’s current inclination towards India? This brief argues that the ‘China factor’ is playing a key role in this new approach: South Korea wants to diversify its foreign relations as it faces a dilemma over its econom

The defence and foreign ministers of Japan and the US, meeting under the bilateral consultative committee, have decided to revise the 1997 Guidelines for US-Japan Defence Cooperation to make sure that the alliance continues to maintain its credibility and effectiveness in deterring conflict in Asia-Pacific.

India and France, amid intensifying geopolitical trends in the Indo-Pacific region, are likely to build an even closer partnership.

With ever-expanding engagement, India and the United States develop their foreign policies, distinguishing priorities from irritants

Unlike the Indo-Pacific where the payoffs are limited, West Asia offers India vast energy resources that are vital for development and investment opportunities.

India's positive role in the region was also highlighted during the India-Asean Summit

With multiple fires burning around India, what is astounding is not India’s seeming inability to manage those fires but its remarkable success in insulating itself from those flames

The message to countries in East and Southeast Asia, as well as India, is clear: Be ready for Beijing’s military intimidation if its unilateral alterations in the status quo are resisted.

Cooperation between the United States, Japan, Australia, and India is here to stay.

Islands have long fascinated explorers, with colonial powers claiming distant territories to expand maritime dominance. Overlooking key trade routes and straits, island territories provide diplomatic leverage and military reach. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI), strategically located near the Malacca Strait, exemplify this advantage for India’s influence, prosperity, and maritime security. Major powers continue to rely on island networks t

Ties between India and Japan are historical and enduring. In the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC), the leaders of the two countries have married their respective countries’ “Act East” Policy and “Free and Open Indo Pacific” aspirations. The AAGC is envisioned to provide a renewed opportunity for partnership where both regions can complement each other’s development and growth.  The AAGC will bring out the economic gains for Afr

This paper analyses the domestic compulsions in Australia, India, Japan and the US that are influencing their positions on the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad). The paper notes that as the four countries are becoming increasingly aware of the risks posed by China’s rise over the last few years, they have sought to converge to the Quad. For Australia, the concerns are over trade dependency on China, and China’s sharp power projection and

The aim was to drive home the message that America’s Indo-Pacific policy is not just aimed at deterring China’s rise

Even though the tale of Chinese munificence is marred by unsavoury ground realities, all eyes will be on the future of the Belt and Road Initiative

Modi’s visit to Japan will energise ties with a reliable strategic partner

Whoever wins will have the task of steering Canada amid domestic and foreign policy constraints

Critical minerals have emerged as a vital resource for a state’s national security and strategic calculations. Consequently, like-minded states have attempted to establish alliances for mineral security to mitigate their vulnerability arising from overreliance on a single country, notably China. In the Indo-Pacific, the Quad has taken the initiative to work together on critical minerals. The Quad’s strategy aims to combine available resources

In the evolving geopolitical dynamic after Covid, India should side with democracies.

New Delhi seems to be signalling that Bejing’s rise in the Indo-Pacific has to be tackled politically and economically

There is an urgent need for standard operating procedures and open communication, especially when it comes to technology and space.

The scope for cooperation between the Colombo Security Conclave member-states is aligned with the maritime security challenges prevalent in the Bay of Bengal region

Beijing’s behavior, while unsurprising, is only likely to further antagonize its neighbors.

It is India that is not only challenging China when it comes to the major ideas of our times, but is also standing up and confronting China to preserve its vital interests.

India and Germany embark on a path of cooperation leading with trade and security

The Eastern Corridor is a crucial highway for global trade flows, where any disruption could severely affect the global economy. The route comprises some of the world’s most vulnerable Sea Lanes of Communication (SCLOs), with potential flashpoints such as the South China Sea. For years, these SLOCs have been characterised by tensions in South Asia and Southeast Asia; the more recent years are seeing a heightening of both intent and capacity for

It will be in the realm of ideas where the world would be seeking India’s leadership.

Trust-based partnerships are re-defining the global landscape today and India is moving ahead with a degree of seriousness not seen in recent history.

As the Indo-Pacific region grows in prominence, all the members of the CSC, which are democracies, will continue to play their cards based on domestic and external benefits.

The G7’s future relevance will depend on its ability to stay united, share space, and shape the agenda with rising powers like India.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has historically been a key instrument of state power in modern China, from the time founder Mao Zedong famously said that power flows “from the barrel of a gun.” Today, in the era of Xi Jinping, China is strengthening its defence diplomacy through Xi’s so-called Global Security Initiative (GSI) that envisions a growing role for the Party-state’s arms like the PLA and the Ministry of Public Security. T

India, France and Japan — despite different geographies — share similar interests in the Indo-Pacific.

As United States (US) President Donald Trump took office for a second term in January, a critical assessment of the legacy of the Joe Biden administration may help inform the India-US bilateral relationship. Under President Biden, the bilateral ties between India and the US progressed steadily, gaining momentum through big-ticket sales and reinforced by structural continuities. Bilateral defence relationships were strengthened, and a technology-l

As technology, geopolitics and warfare evolve at breakneck speed, the new India-US defence framework provides a much-needed roadmap for bilateral security relations. However, its success will hinge on whether both sides can translate intent into shared innovation, trust and strategic depth.

The optics around the 2+2 Dialogue in Delhi are defining — the defence ties between the two countries have come of age

While it might be politically palatable to consider a purely Asia-Pacific strategic partnership to maintain stability in the region, this will be strategically short-sighted because no such partnership will have the military muscle or diplomatic heft to achieve its objectives.

How did Ukraine’s presence influence the Vilnius summit? Why did Turkey lift its opposition against Sweden?

Key defence agreements will result in a shared, stable and more routine model of cooperation

Middle powers with multiple partnerships like India can play a big role in the emerging global order

One of the problems with the India–Australia relationship is that both countries have a different set of concerns about China.

Now, the European Union has released its own Indo-Pacific strategy too

Australia is back for the second year in a row, underscoring the Quad’s deepening commitment to cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

As new geopolitical and geo-economic realities emerge in the Indo-Pacific, India is now a critical node in the emerging network of variable geometries in the region. There are important opportunities in the evolving dynamic for New Delhi, as new alliances are crafted and new goals enunciated.

It has overcome sceptics to widen its ambit of partnership and also set a focused strategic agenda