India Society in “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” Context: Vision and Policy

Abstract

The “Indo-Pacific” concept was first initiated by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007. By 2017, U.S President Donald Trump echoed this concept with implications for a new strategy towards the wider region as the “Indo-Pacific” rather than the “Asia-Pacific”. With its strong rise in recent years, India is expected to hold a prominent position in the new milieu. Through recent moves, India aims to develop an “independent, self-reliant” foreign policy as an important player in the strategic space of the “Indo-Pacific” region. This paper is to analyze India's vision and policy adjustments in the context of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”