By Hemant Krishan Singh in addition to Richard M. Rossow
It is fourth dimension for the US to recognize that the Indian Ocean is the adjacent front end trouble of footing geopolitics in addition to the emerging arena for a novel “great game.” China’s aggressive inroads into the Indian Ocean through armed forces bases, port leasing, in addition to predatory economic science acquaint an imminent strategic challenge, every bit these advances volition consequence inward an Indo-Pacific that is less free, less open, less secure, in addition to less prosperous for the US in addition to India. In the midst of a global mightiness flux, revival of strategic competition, rampant regional rivalries, in addition to concerns virtually the hereafter of a liberal order, Republic of Republic of India in addition to the US are good positioned to shape the hereafter together inward ways that sustain the interests of both countries. The U.S. National Security Strategy describes Republic of Republic of India every bit primal to U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy in addition to an essential factor of Indo-Pacific safety architecture. This recognition likewise underscores the require to run into the pith challenge of China’s economical in addition to armed forces assertiveness in addition to its manifest wishing to create a Sino-centric Asian order. The collapse of Association of Southeast Asian Nations unity since 2012 has significantly eroded Association of Southeast Asian Nations centrality inward regional safety architecture; PRC is immediately capable of controlling the South PRC Sea inward all scenarios brusk of conflict.
U.S. efforts to deepen its appointment inward the Indian Ocean Region must non simply live on intended to draft Republic of Republic of India into the existing Asia-Pacific safety architecture, but likewise to recognize the growing strategic salience of the Indian Ocean itself. To brand an Indian Ocean Region that is every bit prosperous every bit East Asia, the US needs to bring together hands with Republic of Republic of India in addition to piece of occupation to a greater extent than closely with countries inward the part to railroad train a safety architecture that underpins gratuitous in addition to opened upwards trade, preserves sovereignty, in addition to is designed for a century inward which the Indian Ocean volition rest a vital connective of the global economy.
As matters stand upwards today, the US does non cause got a robust, consistent footprint inward the Indian Ocean. From India’s safety perspective, the US has virtually opted itself out of Central Asia in addition to has only marginal commitments inward the Indian Ocean. From the U.S. perspective, Republic of Republic of India must likewise progress pending proposals to augment in addition to deepen the defense forcefulness partnership.
Based on the foregoing, nosotros offering the next recommendations for a revamped U.S. vision of the “Free in addition to Open Indo-Pacific.”
Enlarge
The US needs to empathise that India’s safety interests prevarication both to its due west in addition to east. While the US is yet trying to plough the clock dorsum to find lost strategic infinite inward East in addition to Southeast Asia, PRC is already driving into the Indian Ocean where it aims to constitute an overwhelming presence. There is require for a holistic hold off at challenges inward both the Indian in addition to Pacific Oceans.
Engage
If Republic of Republic of India is indeed to live on a primal pillar of the U.S. vision for the Indo-Pacific, it must live on to a greater extent than deeply consulted inward the evolution of a U.S. strategy which reflects the interests of both strategic partners. This requires a nuanced broadening from a predominantly Eastern Asia focus, driven primarily past times U.S. alliances in addition to historical legacies, to a “whole of the Indo-Pacific approach” which draws on shared interests to accomplish shared objectives.
The US in addition to Republic of Republic of India require to jointly evolve a mutual strategy that acknowledges the challenge PRC presents inward the Indian Ocean every bit good every bit the require to save the piece of occupation of Association of Southeast Asian Nations inward regional security. H5N1 possible three-tier safety architecture tin post away live on considered:
An East Asian tier centered exactly about U.S. alliances;
An ASEAN-centric primal tier buttressed past times a spider web of Trilaterals in addition to the Quad; and
An Indian Ocean-centric tier amongst Republic of Republic of India (and Australia), where the US commits to a greater coordination of defense forcefulness assets, including Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR), in addition to Intelligence, Surveillance, in addition to Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
Expound
The inability to articulate a broad hit of specific actions through a standalone policy proved to live on a primal weakness of the “pivot” or “rebalance” nether the previous U.S. administration. Recent pronouncements of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo offering a expert start, but the US needs to live on to a greater extent than specific on how the “Free in addition to Open Indo-Pacific” strategy volition alter U.S. presence in addition to partnerships throughout the region. The US in addition to India, along with other Quad partners, likewise require to elaborate a detailed architecture for regional economical engagement, connectivity initiatives, in addition to multilayered regional safety architecture. Any such framework of enhanced U.S.-Indian (and especially Quad) cooperation volition sure evoke a potent reply from China. Policymakers in addition to strategic communities inward Quad capitals must attempt in addition to mitigate this coercive challenge if the reborn Quad is to taste continued traction.
Conclusions: The Defining Role of US-India Defense Ties
It is inevitable that despite broad convergences, U.S.-India relations volition locomote on to confront challenges inward both the diplomatic in addition to economical domains. It is thence of import for both strategic partners to recognize that intensifying discussions on defense forcefulness cooperation cause got already led to a much deeper appreciation inward Washington of India’s concerns in addition to interests both to its eastward in addition to its west. The US must immediately set forwards a clear vision on how the 3 commands roofing the Indian Definition of the Indo-Pacific (INDO-PACOM, CENTCOM, in addition to AFRICOM) tin post away piece of occupation together on issues of defense forcefulness cooperation with India.
The 10-year framework understanding on bilateral defense forcefulness cooperation renewed inward 2015 already provides the platform for strengthening defense forcefulness ties from a strategic perspective, spell preserving each country’s strategic independence. Recent steps taken past times the U.S. direction in addition to Congress to bolster India’s Major Defense Partner condition cause got farther incentivized efforts past times both sides to hold mensuration with the evolving safety scenario across the Indo-Pacific, especially inward the Indian Ocean.
Strengthening maritime domain awareness mechanisms, synergizing ISR assets, enhancing anti-submarine warfare capability, improving the efficacy of our novel cooperative machinery (the Defense Technology in addition to Trade Initiative), in addition to in conclusion interoperability agreements (Communications Compatibility in addition to Security Agreement (COMCASA) in addition to Bilateral Exchange in addition to Cooperative Agreement(BECA)) require to live on vigorously pursued.
Finally, if at that topographic point is 1 large watch that merits consideration every bit a symbol of U.S.-Indian defense forcefulness cooperation inward the Indo-Pacific, it is the enlargement of Malabar into a two-phase practise adjacent year: the showtime involving INDO-PACOM inward the eastern Indian Ocean, in addition to the instant engaging CENTCOM inward the western Indian Ocean. This volition furnish a qualitative boost to mutual confidence inward the defense forcefulness partnership in addition to demonstrate Indian policymakers that the Indian Ocean is, indeed, business office of Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
The forthcoming initiatory coming together of the United States-India Ministerial 2+2 Dialogue (scheduled for September 6) provides a historic chance to lay the foundations of balanced in addition to upgraded bilateral defense forcefulness in addition to safety relations that deliver mutual reinforcement in addition to save a stable residual of mightiness inward the Indo-Pacific.
Mr. Richard M. Rossow is senior adviser in addition to Wadhwani Chair inward U.S.-India Policy Studies at the Center for Strategic in addition to International Studies (CSIS) inward Washington D.C. Ambassador Hemant Krishan Singh is manager full general of Delhi Policy Group, New Delhi.
This article originally appeared every bit a DPG Policy Brief at delhipolicygroup.org on August 23 in addition to every bit a CSIS Commentary on CSIS.org.
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