Formation of Informal Alliances in Indo-Pacific: Analyzing the Role of India

Abstract

The present world order is dominated by informal security, economic, cultural and strategic alliances across the regions. The Indo-Pacific region attracted the International community in the recent past due to the formation of informal alliances such as QUAD, AUKUS and IPEF. China's rise, which is seen as a threat to the existing World Order, has also helped the Indo-Pacific in getting the attention it long deserved. The presence of Informal Organizations or Informal 'Inter-Governmental' Organizations (IIGOs) plays a significant role in the region which still lacks a regional integration process. Internationally, the focus is mostly given to formal institutions, while the informal ones remain ignored because of their lower chance of enforcement. It needs to be understood that IIGOs can assist in the better and proper functioning of Formal Inter-Governmental Organizations (FIGOs), where the members are divided upon their national interests. In certain scenarios, they can also replace and transform into a formal organization. The presence of bilateral conflicts and lack of strong regional mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific region also led to the emergence of informal alliances based on mutual interests. This paper primarily focuses on the dynamics of informal alliances in the Indo-Pacific region and highlights India's interests. Keywords: QUAD, AUKUS, IPEF, Belt and Road Initiative and Pacific Network