How to Better Leverage the “Indo” in the US Indo-Pacific Strategy - By Michael Kugelman

The Indo-Pacific in the World March 2024 How to Better Leverage the “Indo” in the US Indo-Pacific Strategy By Michael Kugelman Executive Summary Washington has sharpened its focus on the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) in recent years, with the Indo- Pacific Strategy (IPS) according ample attention to a massive maritime space that includes South Asia and stretches from eastern Africa to the west coast o. [...] The articulated by both the Trump and Biden US Development Finance Corporation (DFC) administrations, the “Indo” part of the Indo- has scoped out potential investment projects Pacific—the immense spaces encompassing the around the region, concluding several in India. [...] IOR into the IPS, and identifies additional steps Additionally, the statements that emerged from that US policymakers can take to strengthen the most recent Indo-Pacific Quad leaders relations with South Asian capitals in ways that summit, in 2023, make multiple references to address American interests and help advance the cooperation in the IOR. [...] This conundrum is position astride the Indian Ocean, and its own compounded by the fact that Washington has competition with China—is well-positioned to not formally stated what part of South Asia is cooperate with the US to counter China in South considered to be a part of the Indo Pacific. [...] Push for More Quad Activities in South Asia Donald Lu, the senior South Asia-focused official Accept that Strategic Autonomy Can Help, Not at the State Department, recently said the IPS is Hinder, US Interests based on the premise that the US and its allies Many South Asian capitals seek to avoid getting and partners can “provide a better proposition” caught up in geopolitical competition, wishing.