Indo-Pacific is emerging as a crucial geopolitical hotspot due to its economic and strategic significance in today’s international politics. The Indo-Pacific region is a growing priority for India and Australia as emphasised in their respective national strategies due to the growing economic and geopolitical relevance of the region. Economically, Indo-Pacific is significant for trade connectivity, Blue Economy, and market segmentation between the two countries and strategically, the rising role of middle powers, minilateral participation with small islands, and maritime security of the region. 

The dynamic changes in the Indo-Pacific region such as Chinese strategic posture in the region, debt trap politics, disruptive trade routes, dominion in critical minerals and threatening maritime and economic cooperation in the region triggered the Australia-India Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (AIIPOIP) to embark on a comprehensive strategic partnership on June 4, 2020, at the Virtual Summit between the Prime Ministers of India and Australia. It focused on the unrestrained, independent and secured flow of trade, air and maritime activities in the Indo-Pacific region.

In spite of that, the Chinese militarization of small islands in the Indo-Pacific, destabilisation of economies through One Belt One Road, and String of Pearls initiatives questions the economic and geopolitical safety of the Indo-Pacific region. Though both countries engage in common security frameworks such as QUAD, there is less evidence of voicing regional issues. Moreover, the comprehensive strategic partnership is devoid of plans to oppose China which dilutes the safety of the Indo-Pacific region.

However, there is a scope with growing opportunities for a comprehensive strategic partnership in the aspects of the manufacture of defence technology through self-reliant schemes, the launch of the Chennai-Perth Economic Corridor can boost the trade of critical earth minerals to reduce economic dependence on China, strengthening the relationship between the countries to counterfeit the potential risks in geopolitical and geoeconomic dynamism in the Indo-Pacific.

With this background, the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), Kochi as part of its AIIPOIP Taskforce activities conducted a dialogue on the topic “India-Australia in the Indo-Pacific: Examining the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” to delve into the crucial geopolitical and geoeconomic convergences between the two countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS

The suggested key points for discussion are given below:

1. What are the geopolitical and geoeconomic convergent aspects of India and Australia in the Indo-Pacific region?
2. How does the comprehensive strategic partnership ensure the regional security of the Indo-Pacific region?
3. How does the recent shift of Australian strategic posture impact the relations with India in the Indo-Pacific?
4. What is the trajectory of the relations between India and Australia in the Indo-Pacific region with respect to Chinese dominion activities?
5. How will the Quad-AUKUS axis impact the India-Australia strategic partnership?