The new world power strategies are developing in this region. The increasing strategic competition between United States, China, India, and Russia are on the surface. The Chinese military influence and domination on the South China Sea is concern of others. US view towards Indo-Pacific as a free, open and inclusive region. USA is also including others nations within the geography as a stake holder. The idea is to contain Chinese influence or presence in the South China Sea, East China Sea and the Indian Ocean. The unresolved South China Sea territorial dispute with China and the surrounding countries has added strategic complexity. Alfred Thayer, an US Naval officer said, "Indian Ocean will dominate Asia. The destiny of the world will be decided on its water". Taking this strategic view probably the world power game is being design by the actors.
Considering the strategically importance of the region the big power alliances are also focusing on their defence infrastructural development for ensuring security of the maritime trade routes. Number of connectivity initiatives is going on for economic and defense integrations in the Indo-Pacific region. The organizations and forums like ASEAN, QUAD, AKUS, IORA. BIMSTEC and IOC is actively engaged in lOR and addressing the regional and sub regional issues for economic cooperation and maritime security. The Chinese BRI program is also shaping the economic and political landscape in the region and beyond. The BRI has become a significant factor in the Indo-Pacific power game. The "String of Pearls" is the strategic initiative of China to create networking in the India Ocean to increase geo-political influence and military presence.
China is the second largest oil consumer of the world for his economical development. The major supply for China is transported through the Indian Ocean. The Chinese priorities are to secure a reliable supply route through the Sea Lines of Communications. China is maintaining his strategically close relation with the adjacent countries of Bay of Bengal. The idea is to have an access to create alternative route to avoid Malacca Dilemma to maintain undisrupted supply chain. The BRI is designed to reduce its reliance on "Strait Malacca" through which about 80% of energy is transported. Myanmar is having the connectivity to the Bay of Bengal and can provide see port facilities connecting to the mainland of China. The BRI is offering military and commercial support to its allied countries for networking in the Bay of Bengal and nearby coasts through the ports of Gwadar. Hambantota and Sittwe. The CPEC and CMEC project is providing the sea port facilities to mainland of China for transporting oil and gas through pipeline. Some of these ports are also design to provide Naval base facilities to Chinese Navy. These new "Big Power Rivalries" in the Asia-Pacific are indicating a new polarization on Cold War scenario.
India is the seventh largest country with an area of 1,269,219 sq mile and also having the world highest population of 1,437,768,424 crore. India is having a border line of 15,106 km with seven bordering states. Indian coast is 7,516 km including of island territory. India shares the coast with Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar. India is following a nonalignment policy from independence and maintains friendly relations with others. Indian culture is having impact over the vast region of east and west. India enjoys the membership of the major regional, sub regional and multilateral world organizations. Some alignments are contradictory but India is looking comfortable with its diplomatic capability. Indian policy was to development his economy and human resources which was almost destroyed by the British and other colonial period. One of the richest regions became slowly poor during its independent. In the 21st century India is having its influence on the world affairs and becoming a global partner on economical development and defense affairs. India is maintaining a successful link between East and West. Presently India is having its vibrant Diaspora which is contributing on Indian economical development and sustainable foreign policy. India is becoming a trillion dollar economy which will have a direct impact on world affairs.
India is located at the centre of maritime links in the Indian Ocean Region. Indian importance in the globe is for its rising economy, dependable military power and geographical location. India is connected with West, South, Southeast and East Asian countries through maritime routes and also is connected with the West Central Asia and South East Asia through land. The Indian "Look East Policy" has contributed greater engagement with the East and South East Asian countries. The re-designing of Indian defence and rising economical capability in respect to China will shape the Indian geo-political and geo-economical role to the influence over the next decade.
After the India-China war during 1962, India-Pakistan war in 1965 and India China war during 1967 the authorities realized the short comings of its defence establishment. Considering its location and the growing geo-political importance India articulated its defense goal. Presently India is the second largest standing army and one of the fast growing naval powers. India is the fourth powerful fire power country in the world index. Indian also having the capability of producing sustainable defence hardware including fighter planes and submarines. Indias target is to become one of the five defence export countries in the world. The defence export target is five billion dollar by 2025. In the new world order India having a role to balancing military power in the region and beyond. The Indian cooperation with Mongolia, Singapore, Vietnam, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates has opened a new strategic dimension. In the recent year India did participated many defense exercises with USA, France. UK. Russia. China, Thailand. Bangladesh. Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Mongolia and Australia. All these exercises have provided opportunities to know each others capability, training procedure and battlefield cooperation.
Within the Indo Pacific region "Bay of Bengal" is also becoming a hot bed with its new strategic importance. Bay of Bengal is located closer to the geographic center of the Indo-Pacific region. Bay of Bengal is the largest bay in the world and having India on the west and Thailand to its east. The costal countries are India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Bay of Bengal provides the key transit linkages between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Oceans. It also the major trade and energy route to East Asian countries. 25% of the world traded goods are crossing through this Bay. The oil and liquefied natural gas from Persian Gulf are transported through this corridor. BIMSTEC is providing opportunities to the "Look East" policy of India and "Look West" policy of Thailand for further integration. Bay of Bengal is having strategically importance to both China and India.
The USA is having its military presence in the Asia Pacific region from 2nd world war. US is having around 400 hundred military bases with 3.00.000 troops. 60% of the US Naval fleet remains in the Pacific region. The major deployments are in Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Guam and Hawaii. These bases are having major influences on "Inter capitalist competition". The US great power game been articulated considering the rise of China. During the period of Barack Obama, US "East Asia Strategy" significantly shifted his foreign policy towards Asia. US heavily invested in the East Asian and South East Asian countries those who all are at the close proximity to China. Indo-Pacific strategy made PACOM responsible on focusing "Free and Open Indo-Pacific". US military ties developed with South Korea, Australia, Philippines, Singapore and Japan. The US "Trans-Pacific Partnership" is also known as "Pivot to Asia". US aggressive policy in the Pacific became concerned to China and it decreased the possibilities of cooperation between US and China. (To be continued)
The writer is Chairman, Bangladesh Foundation for Regional Studies
