Abhay Kumar Singh replies: Even though the idea of Indo-Pacific as an integrated geopolitical space, combining the Indian Ocean and Pacific, has become popular recently, the littoral states in the region have always been geopolitically relevant to India.

Udai Bhanu Singh replies: A new element of India’s Act East policy has been the extension of India’s Look East policy beyond the ASEAN, with emphasis on strengthening ties with 14 Pacific island countries. The 14 prominent Pacific island countries are: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Nauru, Tuvalu, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Niue, Vanuatu, Palau, Marshall Islands and Micronesia.

Abhijit Singh replies: ‘Indo-Pacific’ has lately entered the geo-strategic discourse as a substitute for the more established term ‘Asia-Pacific’. The two terms, however, are fundamentally different.

The ‘Asia Pacific’ relates to that part of Asia which lies in the Pacific Ocean. It is an idea proposed and supported by Asia’s Pacific powers who sought a term to describe their common region. The Asia Pacific, therefore, has three major constituents: north-east Asia, south-east Asia and Oceania (South Western Pacific). Despite the nomenclature suggesting to the contrary, India is not a part of the region. The Asia-Pacific is more of an economic conception, rather than a security related notion. Since the late 1980s, it has been popular as a zone of emerging markets that have been experiencing rapid economic growth. The only multilateral institution that effectively represents the Asia Pacific, therefore, is the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC), which does not include India.

The Indo-Pacific, on the other hand, is an integrated theatre that combines the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, and the land masses that surround them. Even though it is still an evolving concept, most analysts see it as an idea that captures the shift in power and influence from the West to the East. Its geographical expanse is still undefined but it is said to range from the coast of East Africa, across the Indian Ocean, to the Western Pacific, including countries like Japan and Australia. It is both a strategic as well as an economic domain comprising important sea-lines of communication that connect the littorals of the two oceans. Since it is primarily a maritime space, the Indo-Pacific is associated with maritime security and cooperation.

Reply: Please refer to an earlier reply by Rukmani Gupta to a similar query, at http://idsa.in/askanexpert/IndiasapproachtowardstheIndoPacificregion

Rukmani Gupta replies: The term “Indo-Pacific” has gained currency in recent times, largely due to statements regarding the United States’ Rebalance to Asia strategy and an acknowledgement of linkage between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. However, as far as India is concerned, this linkage between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific traversing the waters of Southeast Asia is nothing new. In 2004, the Indian Maritime Doctrine alluded to “the shift in global maritime focus from the Atlantic-Pacific combine to the Pacific-Indian”. Therefore, beyond the Indian Ocean, the Western Pacific has for some time now been identified as falling within the ambit of India's security interests.

The focus on maritime issues is evident from the increase in maritime exchanges led by the Indian Navy with countries, such as, Vietnam, Singapore and Japan. India’s approach to the region is exemplified by its evolving Look East Policy, beginning with economic engagement with Southeast Asia and now expanding to strategic cooperation beyond Southeast Asia. The US’ Rebalance to Asia no doubt highlights the importance of the “Indo-Pacific” concept and generates much speculation regarding the interaction between the US, its regional allies, India and China. It has been identified as a realm of great power rivalry by many. However, for India the region’s importance is neither a new development nor is it dictated by a shift in the American focus.