What’s in a name? The Indo-Pacific is many things. It is a 21st-century map of the globally-central strategic system centred on maritime Asia. It is, quite literally, Australia’s place in the world. It may be a basis for a strategy of multipolarity and balancing to moderate the power of a rising China. And it is a region in which China’s interests and presence are growing.
In the interests of robust, scholarly and policy-relevant debate, Policy Forum has launched this section on the contested concept of the Indo-Pacific. We hope you find its contents of value, and invite contributions to the conversation.
Professor Rory Medcalf
Guest Editor, Indo-Pacific In Focus section
Podcast: Diving into the Indo-Pacific debate
Rapid Round-Up: Australia’s Foreign Policy White Paper
Mapping our Indo-Pacific future: Rory Medcalf’s speech
Australia needs Indo-Pacific clarity | Denise Fisher
The Indo-Pacific is what you make of it| Andrew Phillips
Podcast: Putting the ‘Indo’ in Indo-Pacific | David Brewster
International relations | The World
While the key idea of the Indo-Pacific is growing in salience, to make more effective policy leaders should recognise the differences in views among the countries that ascribe to it, Zenel Garcia writes.
6 minute read
Read more
International relations | East Asia
In the first episode of the National Security Podcast for 2022, Head of the ANU National Security College Professor Rory Medcalf is joined by Royal United Services Institute Senior Research Fellow Veerle Nouwens to explore how the relationship between these two nations could adapt to an increasingly dynamic Indo-Pacific.
44 minute listen
Read more
International relations | East Asia
In this episode of the National Security Podcast, India’s High Commissioner to Australia — His Excellency Manpreet Vohra — sits down with Professor Rory Medcalf in the latest instalment of the Security Summit series.
42 minute listen
Read more
International relations | East Asia
In this episode of the National Security Podcast, we bring you the first of a special three-part series looking at key trends influencing the future strategic landscape of the Indo-Pacific. This episode unpacks two competing trends that are shaping the regional order: the rise of grey zone and hybrid threats, and the emergence of ‘minilateralism’.
57 minute listen
Read more
Australia can further its strategic engagement with Maldives to the benefit of the whole Indo-Pacific, Athaulla Rasheed writes.
5 minute read
Read more
International relations | East Asia
In this episode of National Security Podcast, United States Chargé d’Affaires to Australia Mike Goldman joins Professor Rory Medcalf to discuss Australia’s bilateral relationship with the United States and the Biden Administration’s approach to the region.
51 minute listen
Read more
International relations | East Asia
President-elect Joe Biden will look to renew the United States’ Indo-Pacific alliance network under his own terms, but President Trump’s legacy in the region may prove difficult to overcome, Joshua Espeña writes.
6 minute read
Read more
International relations | East Asia
In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Rory Medcalf, Katherine Mansted and Chris Farnham look over the wild ride that was 2020 and discuss what we should be watching out for in 2021.
41 minute listen
Read more
International relations | The World
With a Biden administration likely to bring something of a return to the status quo for American diplomacy, Japan and the United States will be able to build even stronger ties in the Indo-Pacific, Sebastian Maslow and Paul O’Shea write.
6 minute read
Read more
Government and governance | East Asia
In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Greg Moriarty — Secretary of the Department of Defence — joins Rory Medcalf to discuss Australia’s defence agenda in a contested Indo-Pacific.
73 minute listen
Read more