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Map Studies versus Technology Plays: The Economics of the Indo-Pacific Frame of Reference

The Indo-Pacific has become a prominent frame of reference for geopolitical and geoeconomic issues in recent years, increasingly displacing the Asia Pacific in strategic discussions. While the early use of the Indo-Pacific as a conceptual framing was primarily inspired by growing trade and transportation infrastructure linkages, it owes its prominence to the more recent escalation of tensions related to China’s rise and the increased importance of India in US security interests. These factors are reflected in the United States taking the symbolic step of renaming its Pacific Command as the Indo-Pacific Command and its launching of an intense diplomatic messaging campaign promoting the “free and open Indo-Pacific”. Seen through the lens of security, the most concrete manifestation of the Indo-Pacific framing is the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue between the United States, Japan, Australia and India and the associated Malabar joint military exercises between these parties. Seen through the lens of geoeconomics, the most prominent elements appear to be an intended expansion of India’s supply chain role as part of a general reduction by Indo-Pacific democracies of reliance on China and a concerted competitive counter by these parties to China’s Belt and Road initiative in developing the maritime and digital infrastructure of the Indo-Pacific region. This note examines the economics behind these geoeconomic strategies, taking into account the varying perspectives of different regional players, most importantly the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and specifically considers suggested avenues for Canada-India cooperation.