In the twenty-first century, the Indo-Pacific, which spans from the western Pacific Ocean to the western Indian Ocean along the eastern coast of Africa, has emerged as a crucial geostrategic region for trade, investment, energy supplies, cooperation, and competition. It presents complex maritime security challenges and interlocking economic interests that require the development of an overarching multilateral security framework. This volume develops common approaches by focusing on geopolitical challenges, transnational security concerns, and multilateral institution-building and cooperation. The chapters, written by a cross-section of practitioners, diplomats, policymakers, and scholars from the three major powers discussed (United States, China, India) explain the opportunities and risks in the Indo-Pacific region and identify specific naval measures needed to enhance maritime security in the region. Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific opens by introducing the Indo-Pacific and outlining the roles of China, India, and the United States in various maritime issues in the region. It then focuses on the security challenges presented by maritime disputes, naval engagement, legal issues, sea lanes of communication, energy transport, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, as well as by nontraditional threats, such as piracy, terrorism, and weapons proliferation. It compares and contrasts the roles and perspectives of the key maritime powers, analyzing the need for multilateral cooperation to overcome the traditional and nontraditional challenges and security dilemma. This shows that, in spite of their different interests, capabilities, and priorities, Washington, Beijing and New Delhi can and do engage in cooperation to deal with transnational security challenges. Lastly, the book describes how to promote maritime cooperation by establishing or strengthening multilateral mechanisms and measures that would reduce the prospects for conflict in the Indo-Pacific region.
Foreword LTG (Retd) DAN LEAF, APCSS Chapter 1: The Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain: Challenges and Opportunities MOHAN MALIK, APCSS PART I: MAPPING THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION Chapter 2: Mapping the Indo-Pacific? China, India and the United States RORY MEDCALF, LOWY INSTITUTE Chapter 3: The "Indo-Pacific" Concept: Implications for China YANG YI and ZHAO QINGHAI, CIIS PART II: U.S., CHINESE & INDIAN PERSPECTIVES ON MARITIME SECURITY Chapter 4: Extremely Desirable but Exceptionally Difficult: An American Perspective SCOTT HAROLD, RAND Chapter 5: Interests and Role in the Indo-Pacific: A Chinese Perspective ZHAO GANCHENG, SIIS Chapter 6: Interests & Role in the Indo-Pacific: An Indian Perspective SUREESH MEHTA, NMF PART III: TRADITIONAL & NON-TRADITIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGES Chapter 7: Traditional Maritime Security Challenges in China-India and China-U.S. Relations JEFF M. SMITH, AFPC Chapter 8: Fractured Mirrors: Chinese Views on Indian Deterrence at Sea LORA SAALMAN, APCSS Chapter 9: Transnational Maritime Threats and Challenges PROBAL K. GHOSH, ORF Chapter 10: The United States and Maritime Security Challenges ANDREW C. WINNER, NWC Chapter 11: China and Transnational Maritime Security Challenges SRIKANTH KONDAPALLI, JNU PART IV: MULTILATERAL MECHANISMS & COOPERATIVE MEASURES Chapter 12: Promoting Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific NIRMAL VERMA, MEA Chapter 13: Maritime Power, Not Maritime Hegemony YI XIANGLIANG, MoFA Chapter 14: Multilateral Mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific VIJAY SAKHUJA, ICWA Chapter 15: The Effectiveness of Cooperative Mechanisms C. UDAY BHASKAR, NMF Chapter 16: The U.S. Pivot to the Indo-Pacific: Imperatives, Challenges & Cooperation LOU CHUNHAO, CICIR and ZHANG HAIWEN, CIMA Chapter 17: America's Patchwork of Coalitions JAMES HOLMES, NWC
