ICS Occasional Papers

With the Indo-Pacific becoming the new arena of the great powers’ power projection, India’s role as a chief actor in the region has also become increasingly significant. India’s unique strategic location and its increasing influence in international politics make it a significant player in the region, making India’s position a determining factor in the formulation of various countries’ foreign policies, such as the United States of America, Australia, and Japan. They see the area strategically important enough to decide the future of the current world order and COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the dynamic geopolitical shifts, which were already in the making, forcing India to develop its maritime space proactively. This paper will look at three aspects. First, India’s Indo-Pacific understanding vis-a-vis other stakeholders of the region. The second section will focus on India’s geopolitical challenges in defining the Indo-Pacific strategy, especially in the post-COVID world order. The third section will look at how India plans to approach the Indo-Pacific strategy in the post-COVID world through diplomatic ties and partnerships.