IR AND IO notes

101 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY model, thus bringing in China not Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). only for the sake of giving it some  Unlike China, India seeks a unified ASEAN, not a divided one. China tries to stakeholdership but looking for play off some ASEAN members against others, thereby in a way executing ‘divide ways to cooperate with it in the and rule’ conquest strategy.  India does not comply with the US region. version of Indo-Pacific, that seeks to contain Chinese dominance. India is Note: rather looking for the ways through which it can work together with China.  Consociationalism is a stable democratic  India is looking for democratising the region. system in deeply divided societies that is o Earlier, the region used to be based on power sharing between elites almost like an American lake. However, there exists a fear that from different social groups. the region will become Chinese lake now. Scarborough Shoal India’s Perspective of Indo-Pacific dispute is an example here.  A lot of India’s special partners, the US, o India doesn't want hegemony of any player in the region. India is Australia, Japan and Indonesia actually working in trilaterals such as India- Australia-France, India-Australia- look at Indo-Pacific as Asia Pacific plus Indonesia to ensure that China does not dominate in the region. India. They try to embed India into the China: A Threat or a Challenge strategic dynamic of Asia Pacific.  China has been a threat to the Asia Pacific countries and is posing threat to Indian o They want India’s presence in interests in the Indian Ocean as well. o China has a hold over Hambantota the South China Sea, East China port (Sri Lanka), which is just a few hundred miles off the shores of Sea, basically to counter China. India. o China is supplying military  India however, seeks to cooperate for an equipment to India’s neighbours such as submarines to Myanmar, architecture for peace and security in the frigate to Sri Lanka, equipment to region. The common prosperity and security require the countries to evolve, through dialogue, a common rules-based order for the region.  For India, Indo-Pacific stands for a free, open, inclusive region. It includes all nations in the geography and also others who have a stake in it. In its geographical dimension, India considers the area from the shores of Africa to the shores of America.  India supports rule-based, open, balanced and stable trade environment in the Indo-Pacific Region, which lifts up all nations on the tide of trade and investment. This is the same as what the country expects from the Regional Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

102 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY Bangladesh and Thailand, thus, in a sovereignty and territorial way, colonising the region.  ASEAN: Some of the member countries integrity, consultation, good governance, of ASEAN have been under the Chinese influence and thus pose a threat to transparency, viability and sustainability. erode ASEAN’s solidarity with respect to the concept of Indo-Pacific.  Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) is o However, China is ASEAN’s largest trading partner and can necessary for Indo-Pacific security. hardly be sidelined by the entire grouping which further threatens o MDA implies effective India’s relations with the grouping.  Southeast Asia is at the centre of Indo- understanding of any activity Pacific and ASEAN is important for India, especially for the country’s Act associated with the maritime East Policy. Also, ASEAN countries know that to balance China in the region, environment that could impact India’s presence is necessary.  Despite several differences, the interests of upon the security, safety, economy India-China on some issues such as globalisation, climate change etc. match. or environment o Also, India and China are members of several international groupings  Multipolarity: Security & peace and law such as BRICS, SCO etc. o China therefore is viewed as more abiding nature of the countries around the of a challenge to India’s stand in the Indo-Pacific than a threat to its region is crucial. This will also allow significance in the region. Way Forward multipolarity in the region.  The countries in the region should have equal access as a right under o The smaller states in the region international law to the use of common spaces on sea and in the air that would expect India to step up to the plate require freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and peaceful settlement of and help them widen their options, disputes in accordance with international law. both economically as well as  It is important to establish connectivity in the region based on respect for militarily. India should try to fulfill their aspirations.  Strong naval capabilities, multilateral diplomacy, economic integration with nations is necessary for India to meet the challenges within the Indo-Pacific region.  India needs to stick to its vision of the India Ocean i.e. SAGAR - Security and Growth for All in the Region. Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

103 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY G20 In a meeting of finance ministers and presidents of central banks of the G7, it was decided to expand The G20 (Group of 20) is an international forum the group and make it more representative in order which includes 19 of the world’s largest to generate policies that have an impact In the economies and the European Union. economy. G20 is a forum for economic, financial and They decided to invite a group of key emerging political cooperation. It addresses the major global economies to a new forum of finance ministers challenges and seeks to generate public policies and presidents of Central Banks, which would that resolve them. later become the G20. Significance of G20 With the start of the global financial crisis of Together, the G20 members represent – 2008, the G20 became the main instrument to face the debacle. And for that it was essential to • two thirds of the world population. involve the highest ranking officials. Thereafter, • 85% of the global gross product. presidents and heads of state joined the G20. • 75% of international trade. What topics does the ‘Group of 20’ address? • 80% of global investments in research and The Group of 20 deals with a broad theme. While economic and financial issues tend to lead development. the agenda, other areas have gained momentum. Because the G-20 is a forum, its agreements or Traditional topics include the global economy, decisions have no legal impact, but they do financial markets, fiscal affairs, trade, agriculture, influence countries’ policies and global employment, energy and the fight against cooperation. corruption. What are the advantages of the G20 as a world Other recent additions include participation forum? of women in the labor market, sustainable The G20 is small enough to allow concrete face- development, global health, fight against terrorism to-face discussions that adapt to the new and inclusive ventures, among others. challenges of the international agenda and is large How does G20 work? enough to represent the vast majority of world The G20 agenda is annual and includes more than economic production. 50 meetings, enhanced by working groups and discussions between permanent members and What does the G20 do? guests. The G20 invites its members, invited countries, The cycle concludes with the Leaders Summit , international partner organizations and affinity where a final declaration is signed by which the groups to dialogue and build consensus to leaders commit themselves to address and promote public policies that solve the challenges collaborate on the issues addressed. For example: facing humanity. Why was the G20 created? • At the Hamburg Summit in 2017, the The G20 was conceived in 1999, while the leaders agreed to limit protectionism, repercussions of the Asian financial crisis of 1997 commit to a system of regulated still lasted. The committee’s inaugural meeting took place in Berlin in December 1999. Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

104 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY international trade and favor policies that participate in the meetings and the Leaders’ spread the benefits of globalization. Summit. • At the Hangzhou Summit in 2016, the The G20 Troika leaders agreed to expand the role of the Every year, when a new country assumes the G20 to establish greater global cooperation presidency (Argentina in 2018), it works hand in in the fight against tax evasion and hand with the previous presidency (Germany) and promote international collaboration to the next presidency (Japan) in what is known as facilitate investments in green bonds. the troika. This ensures continuity in the group’s Two working channels of G20 – Finance agenda. Channel and Sherpas Channel G20 Affinity Groups – Understand how Civil The flow of these meetings is channeled through Society participate in the G20 two channels: the Finance Channel, headed by The G20 seeks to enrich the content of its the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank, dialogues by encouraging the participation of civil and the Sherpas Channel, coordinated by society through affinity groups . Each of them the Chief of Cabinet of Ministers and of which focuses on an issue of global importance and ministries from different areas participate. . meets independently throughout the year. From The Finance Channel covers meetings between the dialogue in the various meetings, each group finance ministers and central bank presidents, as delivers a series of recommendations to the G20. well as meetings of their second lines and working Currently, affinity groups are: Business 20 (B20), groups on financial issues. In their meetings Civil 20 (C20), Labor 20 (L20), Science 20 (S20), throughout the year, they focus on global Think 20 (T20), Women 20 (W20), Youth 20 collaboration in financial and monetary policies, (Y20). which may include issues such as investment in What impact does the G20 have? infrastructure, fiscal policy, inclusion and The G20 is the most important forum for financial regulation. international cooperation. During the meetings, The Sherpas Channel, meanwhile, covers non- the main challenges of the world are discussed and financial issues, such as political commitment, the the main policies are coordinated at the global fight against corruption, development, gender level. In the face of an uncertain international equality, trade and energy, among others. Each context, international cooperation is key, and thus member country of the G20 is represented at the the G20 acquires even more relevance. meetings by the Sherpa and the minister that The main achievements of the G20 include: corresponds to the subject. The Sherpa then advises his Head of State or Government on the • the increased participation of emerging issues discussed and brings the dialogue to the countries in global issues, relevant working groups. To increase the scope and impact of the G20, and • the reform of international financial to ensure that the approach is truly global, the institutions, main international organizations are invited to • the monitoring of national financial institutions, • the improvement in the regulations of the economies whose problems led to the Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

105 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY crisis and the creation of safety nets to Bank (IDB) and the Development Bank of Latin prevent problems in the future. America (CAF). The G20 also specifically helped to provide What does presiding the G20 imply? emergency funds during the 2008 crisis and plays Every year, G20 members elect a country to an important role in financing for development. preside over the group. Where is the G20 headquarters? The country that assumes the presidency organizes The G20 does not have permanent offices or the meetings, defines the agenda of priorities to be employees. debated and decides which countries and The country that presides over the group (in an organizations to invite. As the G20 does not have year) takes care of all the organization and the a central organization, the role of the country logistical coordination of the meetings. presiding over the group is critical to the In addition to the Group of 20 members, which effectiveness of the forum. other nations are participating in the meetings? How is the country that exercises the Spain is a permanent guest and always participates presidency of the G20 appointed? in the G20 summits. Every year, the host country The president is chosen by a rotation system. For also chooses other guests. For the G20 2018, this, the 19 member states of the G20 (the 20th President Mauricio Macri invited Chile and the member, which is the European Union, is not part Netherlands. of a group of countries) are divided into five groups, consisting of a maximum of four states: The key regional organizations are usually invited to participate and are represented by the country • Group 1: Australia, Canada, United States, that holds the presidency. The Association of Saudi Arabia. Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the African Union, the New Partnership for Africa’s • Group 2: India, Russia, South Africa, Development (NEPAD) are examples of Turkey. organizations that are invited regularly. This year, President Mauricio Macri also invited the • Group 3: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico. Caribbean Community (CARICOM), represented • Group 4: France, Germany, Italy, United by Jamaica. International organizations also participate. The Kingdom. World Bank, the Financial Stability Board (FSB), • Group 5: China, Indonesia, Japan, South the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations, the International Labor Korea. Organization (ILO), the Organization for Counting the last edition of Germany, 11 of the 19 Economic Co-operation and Development member countries of the forum presided over it. (OECD) and the World Organization of Which countries and invited organizations Commerce (OMC) are regular assistants of the participate in the G20 2018? G20. For the G20 2018, President Mauricio Macri The invited countries are Spain (permanent guest), also invited the Inter-American Development Chile and the Netherlands, and, on behalf of regional organizations, Singapore (ASEAN), Jamaica (CARICOM), Rwanda (African Union) and Senegal (NEPAD). The Argentine presidency also invited the Inter-American Development Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

106 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY Bank and the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF). What is the objective of Argentina for its G20 presidency? Argentina seeks to build a consensus that allows all countries to commit to an equitable and sustainable development that generates opportunities for all. This is in line with the region’s concerns and aspirations: to take advantage of the great economic potential of Latin America and the Caribbean to advance towards the eradication of poverty. What will be the priorities of the G20 2018 agenda? The G20 2018 will focus on the future of work, which implies thinking about an education that provides – equal opportunities, infrastructure for development, and a sustainable food future. Who will be the next G20 president after Argentina? • Japan will chair the G20 in 2019. • Saudi Arabia will chair the G20 in 2020. • Italy will chair the G20 in 2021. • India will chair the G20 in 2022. Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

107 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY India’s Indian Ocean Strategy The IOR is a critical waterway for global trade and commerce. This strategic expanse hosts heavy The Indian Ocean covers at least one fifth of the international maritime traffic that includes half of world’s total ocean area. the world’s containerized cargo, one third of its bulk cargo and two third of its oil shipment. It is bounded by Africa and the Arabian Peninsula (known as the western Indian Ocean), India’s Its waters carry heavy traffic of petroleum and coastal waters (the central Indian Ocean), and the petroleum products from the oilfields of the Bay of Bengal near Myanmar and Indonesia (the Persian Gulf and Indonesia, and contain an eastern Indian Ocean). estimated 40% of the world’s offshore oil The Indian Ocean matters today, arguably more production. than ever. It is a major conduit for international trade, especially energy. Since dependence on oil will continue to increase in the future and exports from the Central Asian Its littoral is vast, densely populated, and Republics by sea would also have to be routed comprised of some of the world’s fastest growing through the ports of this region, the Indian Ocean regions. is likely to witness clashes of economic interests and a turbulent security environment. The Ocean is also a valuable source of fishing and mineral resources. The Indian Ocean basin is of India’s Naval operations with other countries: particular importance for India, as the region’s India is setting a high tempo of naval operations in most populous country and geopolitical keystone. Asia. In recent, a series of bilateral exercises with Importance of Indian Ocean Region (IOR): regional navies in the Indian Ocean have The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has become the demonstrated the Indian Navy’s resolve to hub of intense global activity over the decades for preserve operational leverage in India’s near seas. various reasons. For example: The most important trade routes of the world pass In April, Indian and Australian warships held through this region. The Indian Ocean provides drills (AUSINDEX) in the Bay of Bengal. the predominant outlet for oil from the Persian Anti-submarine exercise with the U.S. Navy near Gulf to various destinations all over the world. Diego Garcia. The Malacca Strait is a critical choke point ‘Varuna’ with the French Navy off the coast of through which the oil bound for the West coast of Goa and Karwar. USA, China, Japan, Australia and other countries Two Indian warships participated in a ‘group sail’ of South-East Asia must pass Oil being of vital with warships from Japan, the Philippines and the interest to most nations, major powers, especially United States on return from a fleet review in the USA, maintain a visible and credible presence Qingdao. in the region. Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

108 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY In April, in their biggest and most complex With China’s assistance, Pakistan too is becoming exercise, Indian and Australian warships held an increasingly potent actor in the northern Indian drills in the Bay of Bengal. Ocean, a key region of Indian interest. Beijing has also been instrumental in Widely acknowledged as the most capable strengthening the navies of Bangladesh and regional maritime force, the Indian Navy has Myanmar, both increasingly active participants in played a prominent role in the fight against non- regional security initiatives. traditional challenges in the Indian Ocean. In these circumstances, India has had little option While its contribution to the counter-piracy but to intensify its own naval engagements in mission off the coast of Somalia, humanitarian South Asia. assistance and disaster relief (including in cyclone-hit Mozambique) has been substantial. Economic Importance to India: The Indian peninsula juts 1,980 km into the Indian South Asian countries making their presence in Ocean with 50% of the Indian Ocean basin lying Indian Ocean Region: within a 1500 km radius of India, a reality that has South Asian navies have been making their strategic implications. presence felt in the seas of the subcontinent. India is one of very few (06) countries in the Many observe that trigger for India’s newfound world to have developed the technology to extract zeal at sea is the rapid expansion of China’s naval minerals from the deep sea bed. footprint in the Indian Ocean. An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 320 km, Beyond commercial investments in Pakistan and India has exclusive rights to explore mineral Sri Lanka, China has established a military wealth in an area of 150,000 square km in the outpost in Djibouti, a key link in Beijing’s Belt Indian Ocean. and Road Initiative (BRI). India imports 70 % of its oil requirements, 4000 Reports suggest the People’s Liberation Army tankers come to Indian ports annually and almost (PLA) is planning an expansion of its logistics 95 % of Indian trade moves by sea. base for non-peacekeeping missions, raising the Almost 5 million Indians work in Gulf countries possibility of an operational overlap with the and it is in India’s interest to ensure that the Indian Navy’s areas of interest. environment in Gulf remains stable. As some see it, Djibouti portends a future where In addition to providing precious minerals and China would control key nodes skirting important energy source, the ocean’s fish are of great shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean, allowing the importance to the bordering countries for domestic PLA’s Navy (PLAN) to dominate the security consumption and export. dynamic. In a quest for regional prominence, Sri Lanka has India’s Defensive posture: positioned itself as a facilitator of joint regional On other hand, India’s Indian Ocean focus makes endeavours, expanding engagement with Pacific for an essentially defensive posture. powers which includes the Royal Australian Navy and the U.S. Navy. Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

109 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY Notwithstanding improvements in bilateral and Prime Minister Narendra Modi significantly trilateral naval engagements, it hasn’t succeeded visited three important Indian Ocean countries, the in leveraging partnerships for strategic gains. Seychelles, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, in 2015. In With India’s political leadership reluctant to the following year, he visited Mozambique, South militarise the Quadrilateral grouping or to expand Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya, four littoral naval operations in the Western Pacific, the countries of the Indian Ocean. Besides these, in power-equation with China remains skewed in the last five years India has partly undone the favour of the Western pacific. damage to relations with its critical IOR neighbor, China has been downplaying its strategic interests the Maldives; ties had suffered under the previous in South Asia. It is concerned that too much talk pro-China government in Male under Abdulla about its growing naval power could prove Yameen. As for strategic steps in the detrimental to the cause of promoting the BRI. IOR, securing port access in Duqm, Oman for Alarm at the recent BRI summit over Chinese military use; India’s decision to develop its ‘debt traps’ has led Beijing to revise some maiden deep-sea port in Indonesia’s Sabang; infrastructure projects. furthering talks for a possible military base at Assumption Island in the Seychelles; and securing India’s refusal to participate in the BRI may have logistics agreements with the U.S., France, and also prompted China to rethink its economic and Singapore have been critical decisions for military strategies in the Indian Ocean. consolidating India’s regional naval presence as well as deterring external power dominance. Analysis Modi’s decision to visit the Maldives, an Indian Ocean country, on his first visit to any country in Altered national interests in the Indian Ocean are his second term ties in with India’s desire to rapidly transforming the region into an arena of consolidate its Indian Ocean vision. The new reoriented strategic disposition for traditional government’s focus on the Bay of Bengal powers like the United States, France, Russia, and Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and the U.K., as well as an area of emerging interests Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) — for China, Australia, and Japan. Since the Cold prioritizing relations with Bangladesh, Bhutan, War, India has remained a peninsular witness to Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand — this pivotal shift in the region’s importance, but its underscores New Delhi’s maritime vision in the recent policy reformulations vis-à-vis the Indian IOR and the Indo-Pacific. Going forward, India’s Ocean region and the larger Indo-Pacific are signs regional consolidation in the Indian Ocean will of growing awareness to the changes underway. depend on at least four factors: steps taken to However, despite the gains made, challenges harness the potential of the country’s coastlines remain in this important maritime domain of and oceans to power a blue economy; the speed remerging Asian geopolitics. and efficiency with which its Maritime Capability The new government in India starts on the back of Perspective Plan (MCPP) is implemented; robust quite a few gains, which seem to have maritime diplomacy with the countries of the IOR, consolidated its regional maritime strategy in the invoking the right spirit of Security and Growth Indian Ocean region (IOR). Early in his last term, Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

110 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY for All in the Region (SAGAR); and effective, translate into constructive leadership that not only expansive partnership with external powers of the looks beyond India’s immediate regional interests region. and great power politics but also provides an With its blue economy focus, India intends to alternative to investment strategies led by the promote smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. Although the and employment opportunities within the Indian Indo-Pacific vision, in its emphasis on ASEAN Ocean region’s maritime economic activities. The centrality together with its focus on the African effort is being led by the Indian Ocean Rim coast, does underscore India’s SAGAR spirit, a lot Association and includes a spectrum of issues remains to be done on in the area of security including fisheries, aquaculture, seafood products, cooperation with India’s maritime neighbors and seaport and shipping, maritime connectivity, port assisting them in building their maritime security management and operations, marine spatial capabilities. planning, ocean forecasting, blue carbon, and Finally, a consequential aspect of India’s renewable energy. emerging regional maritime strategy is the way its On the security front, the MCPP is a grand partnerships with external powers in the IOR are regional plan to bolster India’s operational shaping up. The role of external powers has capabilities by inducting new warships, become critical to the evolving maritime order in submarines, and aircraft besides enhancing New the IOR. The region had witnessed great power Delhi’s influence in the strategic maritime zones. competition during the Cold War and continues to It aims at a comprehensive enhancement of naval see competitive coexistence, if not outright capabilities by inducting 200 ships, 500 aircraft, rivalry, among major players. However, as and 24 attack submarines (compared to India’s opposed to the Cold War, smaller nations have current levels of just over 130 ships, 220 aircraft, gained strategic importance due to their and 15 submarines). Amid slow inductions, positioning, leading to a subtle one-upmanship procurement clearance delays, and bureaucratic among competing powers for strategic leverage. hurdles, however, there is still a long way to go While China’s BRI has weaved together a host of before realizing the Indian Navy’s MCPP. Beyond countries along crucial nodes in the IOR, just the elements of hard power, a lot will depend generating unprecedented debt influence in on how the Indian Navy will assimilate future countries like the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and technologies into its operational criteria, Myanmar, other external powers like Australia, especially big data analytics and artificial France, Japan , the U.K., and the U.S. have sought intelligence to deal with a rapidly changing battle to repurpose their strategic presence in the IOR to space. counter any domination by China. Within this mix, India continues to play it safe. While its Diplomatically, India’s SAGAR approach remains logistics agreements with France and the United limited to a grand vision that ties India’s IOR States potentially give it access to important ports aspirations with those of the Indo-Pacific. Littoral like Djibouti near the horn of Africa, Reunion countries of the IOR, including those in Southeast Islands near Madagascar, and Diego Garcia in Asia, are keen to see India’s maritime vision southern Indian Ocean — beside other benefits Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

111 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY like joint training and refueling with strategic Indian Navy have been carrying out anti-piracy partner navies — India continues to practice patrol sorties in Salalah in the Gulf of Aden and strategic ambivalence in the Indian Ocean. This is other piracy prone areas. more evident in its Indo-Pacific strategy than anywhere else. India continues to term its strategy On its eastern seaboard, India continues to in the Indo-Pacific as “inclusive,” without cooperate with the Quad countries, having defining the limits of inclusivity. Does it include just concluded a meeting in Bangkok between China? To be sure, India has taken subtle steps not officials of the U.S., Japan, Australia, and India, to antagonize China in this part of the world. For who held consultations on their collective efforts instance, it continues to keep Australia out of the for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. As Malabar series of naval exercises, which already New Delhi continues to search for balance includes Japan and the United States. India has between its “Act East” and “Look West” visions, also pussyfooted on its Quad policies, clearly the consolidation of its IOR vision will be crucial negating any need for security polarization in the for straddling its two subtly variant visions for the Indo-Pacific. Whether this approach needs to two ends of the Indo-Pacific seaboard. change will depend on how India consolidates its Indian Ocean strategy going forward. Source: The Diplomet However, the single outstanding challenge for India’s new government will be to distinguish its Conclusion maritime vision from that of its leading strategic Indian Ocean is an “ocean of economic partner in the region, the United States. While opportunities” for India. The security threats India continues to perceive the Indo-Pacific as posed by State and non-state actors are impeding extending from the Persian Gulf to ASEAN the progress. countries and Japan in the east, there is increasing Any interference to our sea lanes, coastal offshore pressure from Washington to clip the Persian Gulf areas and ports, will have a crippling impact on out of that vision through sanctions on India’s the country’s economic growth. energy imports from Iran. Although the Indian For all its rhetoric surrounding the ‘free and open government stopped oil imports from Iran amidst Indo-Pacific’, India is yet to take a stand on a political uncertainty in New Delhi, the Modi ‘rules-based order’ in littoral-Asia. government has hinted at plans to resume A wariness for sustained operations in China’s purchases of Iranian oil, skirting U.S. sanctions. Pacific backyard has rendered the Indian Navy’s Besides enunciating the gravity of India’s regional strategy a mere ‘risk management’ dependence on oil imports, the decision to flout tactic, with limited approach to shape events in U.S. sanctions is telling of a subtle line of littoral-Asia. difference that New Delhi has drawn while constructing its own Indo-Pacific vision. India’s mission-based deployments have brought the Gulf region under the direct strategic focus of its Navy. In the same regard, the P8I surveillance planes of Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

112 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY CLASS NOTES: Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

113 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

114 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

115 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

116 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

117 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved

118 Revise.analyse.writE-RAW2020 Make MAINS-WRITING Skill EASY All the Best Jai Hind  Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence 10/70 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394 ©2018 ASPIRE IAS. All rights reserved