India has to step up engagement in the Pacific

India's approach to the Pacific need not be rooted only in geopolitics and should include mutual problems, like climate change

As Washington and Beijing attempt to woo countries in South Pacific, Washington's partners in the Indo-Pacific will have to step up. To strengthen its position in the Indio-Pacific through the Quad, New Delhi should step up economic, diplomatic, and other engagements in the Pacific region.

China's engagement in the Pacific and last month's Pacific tour of Wang Yi point to three trends. First, the kind of agreements the Chinese are proposing in the Pacific can be a template for cooperation in India's extended neighbourhood. For example, China is trying to ink a broader agreement with the Pacific nations covering security, trade, law enforcement, and other regional issues. Even though Wang Yi's tour failed to obtain a consensus on this agreement, Beijing has already made headway in security cooperation with the Solomon Islands. Although no such security agreements have been floated in India's neighbourhood so far, the possibility of such cooperation cannot be denied.

Also Read: Friendship is the best way to counter China in Pacific

Second, China's activities in the Pacific tell us about the expanding competence and reach of PLA Navy. Over the next decade, we will see a far more active PLA Navy in the Indo-Pacific region. Although China has denied reports of a naval base in Cambodia, the joint project to develop the Ream Naval base does indicate China's influence in the region.

Third, the competition for influence in the Pacific signifies the breadth of the competition in the Indo-Pacific region. The geographical concept of the Indo-Pacific is vast and covers a large area, even if we take different definitions of the concept. China has been slowly expanding its influence in this region over the years, and to counter Beijing, the US will need more resources and partners to step up.

The US and its allies have already increased their diplomatic and economic engagement in the Pacific. The US has increased engagement with the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) and announced the reopening of the embassy in the Solomon Islands. The announcement of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) and the inclusion of Fiji indicate increasing economic engagement between Quad and the Pacific countries.

The US allies like Australia and Japan have a longstanding relationship with the Pacific countries. Australia's engagement in the Pacific expands from diplomatic, economic, defence and security, and various other initiatives. For example, since 2019, Australia has set up new diplomatic missions and posts in Palau, Niue, French Polynesia, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu. Canberra also has significant engagement with regional institutions like The Pacific Community (SPC), of which Australia is a founding member.

As a Quad member, India has to step up its presence in the Pacific. First, India should expand the reach of flagship development cooperation partnerships in the Line-of-Credit (LoC) and the Indian Technical and Economical (ITEC) programmes. Second, New Delhi should increase its diplomatic presence in the Pacific by establishing diplomatic posts and missions. Third, people-to-people relations and a soft power approach will go a long way in strengthing a longstanding relationship between New Delhi and the Pacific countries. Four, India's engagement need not be only strategic. New Delhi should form strong partnerships with the Pacific countries based on common issues such as addressing climate change and sustainable development.

India should expand the reach of its flagship development cooperation partnerships through LoCs and ITEC. So far, India has extended cooperation in LoC only to Fiji and Papua New Guinea. New Delhi extends LoCs based on the requirements and preferences of the partner countries. Hence, it could be an excellent way to further a relationship based on mutual respect.

Also Read: China's military says it 'followed, monitored' US destroyer

India can also do more in terms of sharing experiences, expertise, training, and capacity development through its Indian Technical and Economical (ITEC) programme. Assistance under ITEC can also be extended under the International Solar Alliance (ISA), a partner organisation of ITEC. Courses offered under the ITEC programme cover many subjects, including oceanography, environment and climate change, telecommunications, tourism, management, and many more. Hence, there is a lot of scope for establishing a framework for cooperation.

Increased diplomatic engagement would signal a positive impetus to the relations between India and the Pacific countries. The 2014 visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a watershed. The Forum for India-Pacific Islands cooperation (FIPIC) launch was also a good initiative, and meetings of this forum should be regularised.

However, India's approach to the Pacific need not be rooted only in geopolitical concerns. New Delhi has enough common ground with the Pacific countries to work with. For example, the issues of climate change and global warming will need countries in the Indo-Pacific to work closer. India-led International Solar Alliance (ISA) already has good participation from the countries in the Pacific. New Delhi should try to transform this participation into partnerships for addressing climate change and sustainability issues.

(Megha Pardhi is Research Analyst st the China Studies Program at The Takshashila Institution)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.