India’s ability to manage its East Asian littorals will have a major impact on the country’s standing in the coveted oceanic division, which is the Indo-Pacific. As a crucial component of India’s overall security strategy, ensuring the safety of the country’s maritime borders is increasingly important as developments in the Indo-Pacific region emphasize working together
The QUAD Factor
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), commonly known as the Quad, was an informal alliance until 2021 of like-minded countries: the United States of America, India, Japan, and Australia. The grouping was formed in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and has furthermore officially been institutionalised with the convening of its first in-person Leaders’ Summit in Washington on September 24, 2021.
The Quad has come a long way from its initial ideation to a discursive initiative at the assistant secretary level in 2017, a formal mechanism at the minister level in 2019, and its present incarnation as a strategic dialogue in 2021. Moreover, the ‘Quad Plus’ discussions on the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 included the participation of South Korea, New Zealand, and Vietnam, indicating that the grouping is still evolving and may welcome new members shortly.
The Indian Ocean is the world’s third-largest oceanic division, and it is blessed with vast natural resources. In a few decades, the Indian Ocean Region has witnessed a dramatic shift at the economic and strategic level, leading to the rise of new major powers assessing the immense potential to influence world affairs with the rising economy. It is physically the most complex of the world’s oceans, as it contains extensive marginal seas, bays, choke points, and archipelagoes. Much of the world’s trade passes through these waters, and India is preparing to transform its blue economy goals into reality. Many of the 27 countries on the Premier Track have embraced the powerful and contentious concept of the Blue Economy which broadly defines seas as “shared development spaces.” The Indian Ocean Rim Association is one regional federal agency (IORA).
The blue economy is a phenomenon of the current decade, and India is gearing up to harness this untapped potential. Blue diplomacy will pave the way for the country’s aspiring blue economy goals, and its diplomatic ties with the Indian Ocean littorals will be pivotal in its blue pursuits.
Epilogue
The Indo-Pacific is becoming a world hotspot for strategic and geopolitical races, with the western powers establishing their presence in the region. A group that advocates an open and secure maritime space for all. India’s manoeuvre in the Quad has the potential to secure a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, achieve its Blue Economy objectives, deepen economic and diplomatic ties in the Indian Ocean Region, and advance its leadership goals in the post-pandemic world. Quad nations have a plethora of maritime resources, and bringing the Blue Economy under their ambit can change the picture.
India’s position in the Quad is crucial, and although it is recognised as an emerging world power by its allies, its success will be defined by how effectively it manages the East. India’s importance to the United States is growing to the point where it may be viewed as the most significant Quad member and is likely to be a prominent US ally in Asia in the future. The rising conflicts over the dominance of ocean resources and their usage as battlegrounds are increasing, particularly in Southeast Asia, which is a major concern. India aspires to emerge as a major player in the Indo-Pacific theater, but it cannot overlook the threats ahead as it is the only country that has land border issues with its littorals in the region. Moreover, because the other three states are advanced, developed, and have geographical advantages, the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific will have long-term impacts on the Indian economy, its people, and its future. The Blue Diplomacy supposedly is pivotal to the country’s strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific.
