Germany's evolving role in global affairs: Positioning as a middle power in the Indo‐Pacific region

Abstract

AbstractIn 2020 Germany released its Indo‐Pacific guidelines in response to global shifts and escalating Sino‐US rivalries in the region. This article scrutinises Germany's ambitions and stance in the Indo‐Pacific, utilising the middle power concept as an analytical tool. It argues that Germany's Indo‐Pacific strategy is broadly in line with its wider foreign policy approach rather than marking a radical shift. Divided into three sections, the article explores middle power theories, Germany's foreign policy approach and Germany's Indo‐Pacific tilt. Assessing Germany's progress in the Indo‐Pacific, the paper employs a middle power framework based on capabilities, identity and engagement. We argue that Germany seems intent on positioning itself as a civilian middle power, evident in its deeply engrained norms determining identity and guiding engagement. The article uses a qualitative approach, drawing from primary material such as official statements of German policymakers and policy documents, supplemented by secondary sources covering the literature on middle power dynamics, the Indo‐Pacific region and Germany's foreign policy. Employing thematic documentary analysis, the paper identifies recurring patterns and trends in Germany's evolving role in the Indo‐Pacific.