ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI): Complementarities, Challenges and Opportunities

The Indo-Pacific region is marred by regional uncertainty for the Chinese territorial expansionist policies and concerns for the US’s long term commitment to Asia. This chapter discusses the complementarities in India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. The IPOI was launched by India in 2019 with the aim to manage, conserve, sustain, and secure the maritime domain. The rise of China and the re-focusing of the US’ influence in the region has forced India and the ASEAN countries to re-assess their long-term strategic outlook and their role in the changing regional diplomatic geometry. The chapter illustrates the progress in the India-ASEAN cooperation in the Indo-Pacific as well as the challenges that lies ahead in making this relationship a more concrete one. India and ASEAN share a convergence of interests in the Indian and Pacific Oceans and should work to deepen their mutual understanding, strategic conversation and habits of cooperation.