India’s Role in the Indo-Pacific: Steering US Primacy and Regional Dynamics

Abstract

This article examines India’s evolving role in the Indo-Pacific as a pivotal actor navigating the involved interaction between United States primacy, China’s rising influence, and the broader dynamics of regional transformation. It argues that India is neither a passive participant in a US-led security architecture nor a subordinate alliance partner, but rather an autonomous strategic actor seeking to shape a multipolar Indo-Pacific order through a combination of strategic autonomy, selective alignment, and inclusive regionalism. The Indo-Pacific, as a geopolitical construct, has emerged as the central arena of 21st-century power competition, characterised by maritime rivalry, contested trade routes, technological competition, and shifting institutional frameworks. The article situates India’s Indo-Pacific strategy within the broader context of maritime security, geo-economic interdependence, and non-traditional security challenges. It highlights India’s role in shaping regional architecture through initiatives such as SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), and active participation in minilateral frameworks, including the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad). While India cooperates with the United States in maintaining a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific, it simultaneously preserves strategic autonomy by maintaining diversified partnerships with Russia, West Asia, and ASEAN countries.A key contribution of the article is its integration of migration governance into Indo-Pacific geopolitics. It demonstrates how labour mobility, diaspora networks, and climate-induced displacement have become central to regional stability and economic interdependence. Migration is conceptualised not only as a socio-economic phenomenon but also as a strategic factor linked to climate vulnerability, maritime insecurity, and geopolitical competition.

The article further analyses China’s extractive economic model and the United States’ efforts to sustain regional primacy, situating India as a balancing and norm-shaping power within this contested environment. It concludes that India’s Indo-Pacific vision is anchored in inclusive multilateralism, maritime cooperation, and human security, positioning India as a central actor in shaping a stable, resilient, and multipolar Indo-Pacific order.