India’s foreign policy today strongly emphasizes cultivating partnerships that uphold the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific while advancing global connectivity. This dual objective is both strategic and economic.

The Indo-Pacific, spanning the Indian and Pacific Oceans, is critical for global trade and energy flows. A “free and open” Indo-Pacific means freedom of navigation, adherence to international law, peaceful resolution of disputes, and avoidance of hegemonic dominance. For India, this ensures its sea lanes remain secure and the region retains multipolarity. Hence, India collaborates with like-minded partners—the US, Japan, Australia, ASEAN states—under platforms like QUAD. Naval exercises (Malabar), defense dialogues, and joint infrastructure projects reinforce this framework.

Equally significant is India’s focus on connectivity. Initiatives like the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), Chabahar Port, and BIMSTEC projects link India to Central Asia, Europe, and Southeast Asia. The “Act East Policy” complements these efforts by deepening economic integration with ASEAN. Enhanced connectivity reduces dependence on single chokepoints, diversifies trade routes, and boosts India’s global competitiveness.

Together, these policies ensure India is not only protecting its maritime and security interests but also strengthening its role as a hub in global supply chains. By aligning security and connectivity strategies, India projects itself as both a stabilizing and an enabling power in the evolving global order.