Modi's Three-Nation Tour Paves Way for India as Leading Indo-Pacific Power
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to New Zealand, Australia, and Indonesia has marked an important milestone in India's Indo-Pacific strategy. According to Ashok Sharma, an Academic Fellow of the Australia-India Institute at the University of Melbourne, 'India's Indo-Pacific vision has evolved significantly over the past decade.'
The evolution of this vision is attributed to concerns about maintaining a free, open, and inclusive regional order in the face of China's growing assertiveness. Sharma notes that India's approach has increasingly incorporated economic resilience, connectivity, technological cooperation, and trusted partnerships.
During his visit to Indonesia, PM Modi held a meeting with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and discussed bilateral ties, reaffirming their commitment to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. Cooperation between India and Indonesia has enhanced beyond traditional trade ties to include maritime security, defence cooperation, digital transformation, infrastructure connectivity, critical minerals, and the blue economy.
The visit also saw PM Modi participate in the third Australia-India Annual Summit with Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening defence and security cooperation, including greater maritime collaboration, defence industry partnerships, and interoperability. Additionally, Australia agreed to sell uranium to India following the signing of a key administrative arrangement.
PM Modi's New Zealand visit marked the beginning of a new phase in bilateral ties as it was the first visit by an Indian PM after 40 years. During the visit, India and New Zealand elevated their relationship to a Strategic Partnership and announced an agenda covering trade, agriculture, education, technology, defence, maritime security, and critical minerals cooperation.
According to Sharma, 'India's approach is therefore based on building partnerships that combine strategic trust with economic cooperation. Indonesia contributes ASEAN connectivity; Australia provides strategic depth, energy, and resources; and New Zealand strengthens India's engagement with the Pacific.'