The Anatomy of India’s Foreign Policy in a Brave New World

 Dr. Monish Tourangbam* 

Article Courtesy: Imphal Reviews 

A rapidly changing world, and the rise of the non-western countries in general, has often questioned the relevance of groupings like the G-7, that includes the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, France, Italy, and Germany. Since the global financial crisis in 2008, more inclusive and diverse groupings like the G20 have found more footing, particularly as the right forum for discussing matters of global governance. However, the G-7 summit meeting, continues to garner limelight at least in how these seven countries, try to inject contemporary realities into its agenda. For instance, the latest summit meeting of the G7 countries held at the German Alpine resort of Schloss Elmau, included as special invitees, countries like India, Argentina, Indonesia, Senegal, and South Africa.

The changing geopolitics and geoeconomics of the world have pushed the G7, to look out of its box, into an increasingly recognisable new grammar of politics and economics, that blurs the line between the global North and South. The rising spectre of China and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have unravelled the growing interdependence between military and non-military dimensions of international affairs. The strategic repercussions of the rise in China’s comprehensive national power across the Indo-Pacific has impacted not only the security dynamics, but also the developments on climate change mitigation, infrastructure financing, global economic recovery, and health security. Research and innovation in new technologies cutting across the civil-military divide is disrupting the way nation states respond in both competitive and cooperative mode.

Read full article at: https://imphalreviews.in/the-anatomy-of-indias-foreign-policy-in-a-brave-new-world/?fbclid=IwAR0bXmm6TlICUb0qWYYem-qU0y88Hrtcg-vbFkup7LpczfyIKxPRvLMr-Ik 

Mozambique and the Indo-Pacific

Dr. Neha Sinha*

Article Courtesy: ORF

Image Source: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/

The term Indo-Pacific has gained great significance in recent years (evolving from the previously used Asia Pacific), primarily because it encompasses the strategic link between the Indian and Pacific oceans. Lately, global attention has shifted to Asia due to the important maritime routes in the region, with most of the world’s trade passing through the Indian and Pacific oceans. The importance of the Indo-Pacific will only grow as it plays an even bigger part in geostrategic and geo economic activities.  

The eastern part of the African continent is critical to the Indo-Pacific growth story, but its inclusion in the Indo-Pacific narrative was not an easy process. Two speeches by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were instrumental in remaking the Indo-Pacific—first, the ‘Confluence of the Two Seas’ speech in India in 20071, and the second was the unveiling of the Free and Open Indo Pacific strategy in 2016 in Kenya2. The economic and military interests of the major global powers and the rising Asian economies has brought attention to the developments in East African maritime and continental space. Several East African countries have gained immense importance in recent times due to their strategic location on the west coast of the Indian Ocean, and their resources and economic potential. Indeed, many countries, including those from the Indo-Pacific region, are trying to establish their influence and military bases in the region. 

 

A Crucial Partner 

Mozambique plays a vital role in defining the Indo-Pacific as it lies in the southeast region of the African continent. The Mozambique Channel that lies between Madagascar and Mozambique is a key trading route for goods transiting the Cape of Good Hope to West Asia and beyond. The channel is also a key global shipping route, carrying 30% of the global tanker traffic, and is slowly turning into the next major security hotspot in the Indian Ocean3. This highlights the significance of Mozambique in the safety and security of the Indo-Pacific. To promote stability, it is important to strengthen ties between the Asian and African nations through a free and open Indo-Pacific maritime zone, as both the continents are prone to conflicts. 

While the Mozambique Channel was once a main trading route in the Indian Ocean (linking India with West Asia, and East Asia with Europe and Brazil), it lost some significance with the opening of the Suez Canal. However, the discovery of natural gas fields in the Rovuma Basin in eastern Africa, has brought renewed attention to Mozambique and the Mozambique Channel as other countries seek to tap this opportunity. Mozambique is significant not only to India, but also to Japan, the US and China. The US, China, India, Italy, South Korea, and Japan have invested heavily in Mozambique and other neighbouring nations.  

In its 2015 Maritime Security Strategy document, India outlined its policy towards the countries in the Western Indian Ocean region, which has since been diversified and expanded into a broad-based security approach4. India and Mozambique have agreed to deepen maritime cooperation based on security concerns in the African waters, and to extend humanitarian relief and disaster management operations. At the same time, China has steadily increased investments in Mozambique in the fields of mining, energy, agriculture and infrastructure, but many are concerned this is a ‘debt trap’ to maintain its dominance.  

Under its Indo-Pacific approach, the US is aligning with India as a counter to China, which has already upped its ante with huge investments in Mozambique5 During a 2017 visit to Japan, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi emphasised the importance of strong ties between the two countries for a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and to promote peace and stability in Asia and Africa. Areas of cooperation included anti-piracy, illegal fishing and other illegal maritime activities through capacity building and enhanced maritime connectivity. The two sides also expressed strong opposition to any unilateral actions that could alter the status quo and increase tensions, in reference to issues in the East and South China Seas6. 

 

India and Mozambique: The Way Ahead 

India must endorse and encourage the growing importance of Mozambique for the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific. India’s foreign policy vis-à-vis the Indo-Pacific is pegged on ensuring a rules-based order rooted in international law, openness, transparency, inclusivity, promoting economic engagement in the region. To build a robust partnership, India and Mozambique must partner and cooperate on maritime, connectivity, UN Sustainable Development Goals, and economic development. Given Mozambique’s strategic location, size, population, capacities and its widening interests, it can play a significant role in the post-COVID-19 revival of the Indo-Pacific. Mozambique must build partnerships with like-minded countries like India, to become a vital component of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, which aims to ensure the security and stability of the region’s maritime domain. 

*Dr. Neha Sinha teaches at Amity Institute of International Studies, Amity University, Noida. 

References 

• Baruah Darshana 2015: ‘India’s Evolving Maritime Strategy’, December 03, 2015 

https://thediplomat.com/2015/12/indias-evolving-maritime-strategy/ 

• Nehra Abhijeet 2021: Strategic significance of Mozambique channel, Centre for Security and Strategy Studies, May 2021 

• Singh Gurjit, 2021: Forbes Africa, ‘The Indo-Pacific Concept And Its Africa Connect’, 23 Feb 2021. https://www.forbesafrica.com/opinion/2021/02/23/the-indo-pacific-concept-and-its-africa-connect/ 

•  Shinzo Abe, “‘Confluence of the Two Seas” (speech, Parliament of the Republic of India), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 22 August 2007, https://www.mofa.go.jp/. 

•  “Address by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Opening Session of the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI),” Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 27 August 2021, https://www.mofa.go.jp/. 

• UNEP 2021: ‘Understanding and Valuing the Marine Ecosystem Services of the Northern MozambiqueChannel’https://www.unep.org/resources/report/understanding-and-valuing-marine-ecosystem-services-northern-mozambique-channel 

• Mofa 2017 - https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000237249.pdf 

• https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Indo-Pacific/Japan-wins-Mozambique-s-support-for-free-and-open-Indo-Pacific?fbclid=IwAR1X7frDlmIDnS0DOBgDX8vxY4pJdBeX74jywZboUha6BSC-k9soK1RvYJ0