U.S. President Donald Trump strongly characterized the “Indo-Pacific” in his recent tour of five Asia-Pacific countries that was concluded on 14 November. For the United States, “Indo-Pacific” is its new engagement in the “post-pivot era. After the United States, Japan is most active player for “Indo-Pacific” project. It is developing special ties with India in the framework of strategic relationship. The “Indo-Pacific”, however, lacks an economic component like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) but entails a significant strategic component. The “Indo-Pacific” looks synonymous with the “Arc of Freedom and Prosperity”, a value-oriented diplomacy as claimed by Taro Aso, Japan’s Foreign Minister, in 2007. The move was against non-democratic values and norms and to promote freedom of human rights in across Asia.
The idea was dropped, fearing the “Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere” war-tone philosophy of Japan during World War II but now it has regained weight under the “Indo-Pacific”. The “Indo-Pacific might move toward a political alliance between the United States, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, and some other countries. Some countries might be disinclined toward “China bashing” in the Asia-Pacific, fearing down-grading of strong trading relations with China and commitments in the BRI.
