Australia recently launched the Australia-India Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative Partnership. The programme will support free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific. The Government of Australia has provided a grant of 1.4 million Australian dollars (Rs 8.12 crores) to support the initiative.

Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative

The Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative was launched by PM Modi at the East India Summit on 2019. The Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative aims to strengthen maritime boundaries. It has three main common goals namely welfare promotion, wealth creation and cooperation win-win strategies.

The main principle is to create partnerships between like-minded countries.

Pillars of Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative

The Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative focuses on the following central pillars:

• Maritime Resources
• Maritime Security
• Maritime Ecology
• Capacity Building and Resource Sharing
• Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
• Technology and Academic Cooperation
• Trade Connectivity
• Maritime Transport

Role of India

India has always placed ASEAN nations at the centre of the Indo Pacific Oceans Initiative. In simple terms, Indo Pacific Oceans Initiative is an extension of Look East Policy.

India-Vietnam

In August 2020, India and Vietnam agreed to enhance their bilateral cooperation to achieve the objectives of Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.

Background

The Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative was also launched in the backdrop of China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific region and its actions along the Line of Actual Control. The South China Sea is a part of the Indo-Pacific region. It holds huge reserves of minerals and hydrocarbons. China claims sovereignty over most of the South China sea. The other member countries in the region such as Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei dispute claims of China.