Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand has renewed focus on New Delhi's Indo-Pacific strategy, as regional powers seek to strengthen maritime cooperation amid evolving geopolitical tensions.
Before departing yesterday (6 July), Modi said the visit would reinforce India's "Act East Policy", its "MAHASAGAR Vision", and its commitment to a "free and open Indo-Pacific".
The trip comes at a time of shifting strategic priorities in the region, following Washington's recalibration of its China policy and growing concerns over maritime security. China's recent test launch of a nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missile into the Pacific during a military exercise has further heightened regional security concerns.
While the Indo-Pacific appears to have become less prominent in US strategic messaging, it remains central to the foreign policy outlook of India, Japan, Australia and Indonesia.
The issue also featured prominently during Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent visit to India, when the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to closer cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
"Towards the shared goal of a resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific, the two Prime Ministers reiterated their commitment to advancing cooperation among like-minded countries," the joint statement said.
The statement highlighted cooperation under the Quad framework – comprising Australia, India, Japan and the United States – across maritime security, economic security, including critical minerals, and critical and emerging technologies.
These issues are expected to feature prominently in Modi's discussions in Jakarta, Melbourne and Auckland.
Recent conflicts in West Asia have also underscored the strategic importance of maritime routes, with key chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca remaining vital to global trade, energy supplies and food security.
Writing in The Hindustan Times, former Indian ambassador to Indonesia Gurjit Singh said, "Perhaps the most valuable aspect of the emerging partnership is that both countries increasingly seek strategic autonomy amid growing great-power rivalry."
Former Indian diplomat Ajai Malhotra, writing in The Print, said the Indo-Pacific remains a defining strategic concept for India.
"In Indian strategic thinking, the Indo-Pacific now largely represents a continuous maritime space stretching from Africa's eastern coastline to the western Pacific," he wrote.
He added, "Whatever the shifting vocabulary elsewhere, it remains the enduring strategic geography for India, Japan, and Australia."
According to Malhotra, each destination on Modi's tour serves a distinct strategic purpose.
"Indonesia anchors the maritime gateway between the two oceans. Australia consolidates one of India's closest strategic partnerships in the region. New Zealand extends India's engagement into the Pacific. Together they reinforce India's strategic reach across the wider Indo-Pacific."
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi / Indo Pacific
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