Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Start your answer with a brief introduction of Indo-Pacific.
• Explain challenges and opportunities for India in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Discuss the role of Quad.
• Conclude accordingly.

Introduction:

• The Indo-Pacific region is a vast maritime space that stretches from the eastern coast of Africa to the western Pacific Ocean, encompassing the Indian Ocean and its adjacent seas. It is a region of immense geostrategic significance, as it accounts for more than half of the world’s population, trade and GDP, and hosts several emerging and established powers, such as China, Japan, Australia, Indonesia and the US.
• India, as a rising power with a long coastline and a vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), has a vital stake in the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region.

Body:

• Challenges:
  • China’s assertive and expansionist behaviour in the South China Sea, East China Sea and the Indian Ocean, which threatens the freedom of navigation, maritime security and sovereignty of other countries in the region.
  • The lack of a common understanding and framework among the countries of the Indo-Pacific region on the concept, scope and principles of the Indo-Pacific vision, which hampers regional cooperation and integration.
  • The emergence of non-traditional security threats, such as terrorism, piracy, cyberattacks, climate change, natural disasters and pandemics, which pose transnational challenges to the region.
  • The uneven development and governance gaps among the countries of the Indo-Pacific region, which create socio-economic disparities and vulnerabilities for some sections of the population.
• Opportunities:
  • The potential for enhancing trade, investment, connectivity and people-to-people ties with the countries of the Indo-Pacific region, especially in sectors such as infrastructure, energy, digital economy, blue economy and tourism.
  • The scope for strengthening strategic partnerships and multilateral mechanisms with like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific region, such as Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the US, to promote a rules-based order, maritime security and regional stability.
  • The opportunity for leveraging India’s soft power assets, such as democracy, diversity, culture, diaspora and development assistance, to enhance its image and influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • The possibility for harnessing India’s scientific and technological capabilities, such as space, nuclear, renewable energy and biotechnology, to address some of the common challenges and aspirations of the Indo-Pacific region.
• Role of Quad:
  • The Quad or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue is an informal grouping of four democracies - India, Japan, Australia and the US - that share common interests and values in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • The Quad was revived in 2017 after a decade-long hiatus, in response to China’s growing assertiveness and challenges to the regional order.
  • The Quad aims to uphold a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region based on respect for sovereignty, international law and peaceful resolution of disputes.
  • The Quad also seeks to enhance cooperation on various domains such as maritime security, counter-terrorism, cyber security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), connectivity and infrastructure development, climate change mitigation and adaptation, vaccine diplomacy, critical technologies, education, women empowerment, etc.
  • The Quad can play a significant role in enhancing India’s strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region by:
    • Providing a platform for dialogue and coordination with other major powers on regional issues
    • Offering a counterweight to China’s dominance and coercion in the region
    • Expanding India’s economic opportunities and connectivity with other countries in the region
    • Supporting India’s capacity building and resilience in various sectors
    • Amplifying India’s voice and vision on global issues

Conclusion:

The Quad is an important element of India’s Indo-Pacific strategy that can help India achieve its goals in this region. However, it should not be seen as an exclusive or antagonistic bloc, but rather as an open, flexible, issue-based, cooperative, consultative, complementary, constructive, credible, consistent, and, confident, mechanism that respects the diversity and sovereignty of the region.