Examining the systemic realities of India in the US-backed Indo-Pacific Strategy

Abstract

This paper examines India's role in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS). The first section discusses China's rise and the threat perceptions that led the U.S. to adopt the IPS. The main objectives of the IPS are discussed, along with the growing partnership between the U.S. and India, studying the strategic shift from Asia-Pacific to Indo-Pacific. India-China rivalry in South Asia is then discussed, followed by US-India differences and India-China convergence. The systemic reality of India, as well as the consequences of its policy of strategic autonomy on the smaller South Asian states, is also examined. The paper thereafter concludes with the idea that even though India is unquestionably at the centre of any meaningful Indo-Pacific concept, it is not wise to assume that it will choose to intensify its security rivalry with China or become overly dependent on the United States. As the U.S. hopes to play a more meaningful role in establishing and maintaining an Indo-Pacific order, it remains to be determined as to how it will deal with Delhi. Further research into the developing Asian system and its systemic effects on small power behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region would be beneficial.