Indo-Pacific Strategy Definition

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Supporters

Common themes across these documents include maintaining freedom of navigation (particularly in the South China Sea), securing supply chains, supporting infrastructure alternatives to China's Belt and Road Initiative, strengthening alliances and minilateral groupings such as the Quad (US, Japan, India, Australia) and AUKUS (Australia, UK, US), and addressing climate, maritime, and cyber security.

Opponents

Critics argue the framework is implicitly designed to contain China, which has rejected the term and prefers "Asia-Pacific." Proponents counter that it reflects genuine economic and security interdependence between the two oceans, and note that India, Indonesia, and ASEAN states have embraced inclusive variants.

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In February 2022, the Biden administration released its Indo-Pacific Strategy, committing to deepen ties with ASEAN, the Quad, and Pacific Island nations.

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The Indo-Pacific Strategy refers to a family of national and multilateral policy frameworks that conceptualize the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean as one interconnected strategic region, rather than treating "Asia-Pacific" and "South Asia" as separate theatres. The term gained traction in the 2010s, popularized in part by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, whose 2016 TICAD VI speech in Nairobi articulated a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" (FOIP) vision built on freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and connectivity.

Several states have since published formal strategies:

The United States released its Indo-Pacific Strategy in February 2022 under the Biden administration, following the Trump administration's 2019 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report by the Department of Defense.
Japan continues to develop its FOIP concept, updated by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in March 2023.
The European Union adopted its Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in September 2021.
France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, and South Korea have each issued their own Indo-Pacific documents between 2018 and 2023.
ASEAN published the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) in June 2019, emphasizing centrality, inclusivity, and economic cooperation rather than strategic competition.

Common themes across these documents include maintaining freedom of navigation (particularly in the South China Sea), securing supply chains, supporting infrastructure alternatives to China's Belt and Road Initiative, strengthening alliances and minilateral groupings such as the Quad (US, Japan, India, Australia) and AUKUS (Australia, UK, US), and addressing climate, maritime, and cyber security.

Critics argue the framework is implicitly designed to contain China, which has rejected the term and prefers "Asia-Pacific." Proponents counter that it reflects genuine economic and security interdependence between the two oceans, and note that India, Indonesia, and ASEAN states have embraced inclusive variants.

Frequently asked questions

Who first popularized the term 'Indo-Pacific'?

While the geographic term predates modern usage, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe is widely credited with bringing it into strategic discourse, notably in his 2007 'Confluence of the Two Seas' speech to India's parliament and the 2016 FOIP vision.

How does ASEAN's approach differ from the US version?

The ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (2019) emphasizes inclusivity, dialogue, and economic cooperation, and avoids framing China as a strategic competitor, whereas US strategy documents explicitly identify competition with the PRC as central.

Is the Indo-Pacific Strategy a treaty or alliance?

No. It is a policy framework, not a binding legal instrument. It informs separate alliances, partnerships, and minilateral arrangements such as the Quad and AUKUS.

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Positions at a glance

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Opponents

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Positions at a glance

Supporters

Opponents

Research it like a delegate

Ask a follow-up about Indo-Pacific Strategy

Frequently asked questions

Who first popularized the term 'Indo-Pacific'?

How does ASEAN's approach differ from the US version?

Is the Indo-Pacific Strategy a treaty or alliance?

Go deeper than the definition

Indo-Pacific Strategy in the news

Take Indo-Pacific Strategy beyond the glossary

Frequently asked questions

Who first popularized the term 'Indo-Pacific'?

How does ASEAN's approach differ from the US version?

Is the Indo-Pacific Strategy a treaty or alliance?

Indo-Pacific Strategy in the news