Indo-Pacific Strategy is a geographical approach; seeks to strengthen regional stability as well as economic development and security (both traditional and non-traditional) and partnerships through participation and cooperation within the Indo-Pacific region. The United States firstly took the initiative; introduced in November, 2017, after which other countries including Japan, Australia, South Korea, United Kingdom (UK), Canada, ASEAN have followed the same suit.
In an attempt to keep China-Indian Ocean Regional Forum in check, US has taken the endeavor to replace the existing multinational alliance in the Asia-Pacific region with a similar arrangement in the Indo-Pacific region. Obviously, the competition between the US and China, and its allied countries in the South China Sea is a driving component of founding this strategy. Though Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific Outlook has yet to be released, Bangladesh’s emerging significance in the region has aroused curiosity about its contents.
In February of this year, Bangladesh has been drafted its own Indo-Pacific strategy in order to strengthen its regional engagement and cultivates geopolitical interests. Bangladesh’s determination to boosting its influence in the Indo-Pacific region’s geopolitics as well as economic competition and securing the targets for Vision 2041 are primary motivations for the adoption to this strategy. Despite reportedly profound lobbying from US and its coalition partners of being member of their Indo-Pacific alliance and China’s simultaneous plea to Dhaka not to enter into any geopolitical orbit, Bangladesh has chosen to follow its own Indo-Pacific strategies in accordance with its “Friendship to all, malice towards none” foreign policy dictum.
In contrast, the Indo-Pacific strategy of the Western countries and its alliances or ASEAN, Bangladesh has attempted to formulate its own viewpoint for a robust socio-economic regional cooperation namely “Indo-Pacific Outlook”. Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific Outlook makes its stance on inclusive development highlighting regional connectivity, economic growth through trade and investment, peace and stability, innovation, technology, environment and the safety protocols to execute it.
Notably, Bangladesh’s geographic location in the centre of the Indo-Pacific as well as its close proximity to the Bay of Bengal’s important maritime corridor gives it a distinct competitive edge. As Bangladesh is a significant player in the Indo-Pacific region since its participation both in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), geostrategic location, regional integration, social and economic development has made it important to Indo-Pacific region.
As a result, financial interests, regional security concerns and foreign policy of Bangladesh mainly influences Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific outlook.
Financially, Bangladesh recognizes the Indo-Pacific as an important economic zone for trade and investment. Bangladesh government has been exploring ways by mapping Indo-Pacific region based on its own geopolitical interest to strengthen relationship with Indo-Pacific countries. In terms of connectivity measures, Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific strategy could be placed at a practical intersection with an alignment across the Bay of Bengal.
As Bangladesh’s largest investor, Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific and BIG-B Initiative has aimed to foster open and free trade across the region, has supported multiple projects in Northeast India and Bangladesh, including the construction of a deep-sea port at Matarbari to provide accessibility to the Bay of Bengal from Northeast Indian landlocked territory, East Asia, and South Asia and Bangladesh’s infrastructure development will help on its way to becoming the next Asian Tiger. Bangladesh is currently the 41st largest economy, however by 2035, it is projected to be the 25th largest economy.
Again, as part of its efforts to expand its regional influence and advance its own strategic interests, making it lucrative destination for investment and resolving Rohingya crisis with Myanmar, Bangladesh is seeking bilateral partnerships with the countries in the Indo-Pacific region. In this sense, it has been working directly with India, Japan, South Korea and Australia, while also investigating possibilities to work much more closely with the United States and Canada.
In terms of security, Bangladesh understood the significance of maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. With its long coastline and reliance on the bay for commerce and economic transactions, Bangladesh acknowledges the urgency of safeguarding maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region.
Again, Bangladesh government is focusing on the marine economy in the framework of its Delta Plan-2100. In an attempt to capitalise on best of the opportunities offered by the blue economy, the government has designated the efficient utilisation of the blue economy as its top priority.
In addition, Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific outlook is partly determined by the country’s involvement in regional forums and initiatives. It is a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). Bangladesh’s maritime security has been strengthened by its engagement in joint naval exercises with the United States, India, and other regional partners. Previously, the country has settled its maritime disputes with its neighboring India and Myanmar and closely collaborated to confront transnational crime, terrorism, piracy and illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific Ocean.
Furthermore, Bangladesh is vulnerable to climate change’s effects; hence the country has designated this a top priority to find ways to address this issue as parts of its Indo-Pacific strategy. In order to combat climate change and promote sustainable development; previously it had entered into a joint venture with countries such as US, EU, UK, Germany, France, Canada, Japan and Australia.
Likewise, Bangladesh government has recognized the Indo-Pacific as strategically important to its continued prospects and is dedicated to cooperation with its neighbors to bring up enduring regional peace, stability, and prosperity. Again, Bangladesh likewise strongly supports the international laws and advocates negotiation as a means to disputes settlement.
Consequently, the overarching goal of Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific Outlook is to enhance country’s engagement in this region, accelerates economic growth, and addresses common issues shared by the other nations. It aims to strengthening regional economic cooperation, guaranteeing the security of maritime commerce, combating climate change, investment opportunities and introducing new strategic alliances with other countries. Through upholding norms of international order, the freedom of trade and commerce, prosperity and the sovereign equality of all countries, their outlook aims to help advance the goal of an open, free and fair Indo-Pacific region. In addition, Bangladesh aspires to boost economy through increasing investment and trade; particularly in the areas of public investment and technological networking.
Despite Indo-Pacific Strategy’s widespread support, some countries have claimed that it’s only likely to serve to escalate regional instability, slow China’s growth and Bangladesh’s lean towards the US. Bangladesh is hesitant to take any sides in the conflict between the US and its allied countries and China. For instance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh had announced to launch an fresh Indo-Pacific Outlook to highlight Bangladesh’s geopolitical standpoint on the region as well as its objectives to move forward as a nonalignment foreign policy.
In other words, Bangladesh will likely to clarify on its own stance in the Indo-Pacific region through Indo-Pacific Outlook to take the position of regional leader, rather joining any political bloc.
