East Asia Explorer
The East Asia Explorer tracks evolving geopolitical trends, emerging security challenges, and progress towards regional integration in East Asia. It focuses on the ASEAN grouping, domestic and foreign policy developments in countries of East Asia and Oceania, great power contestation in the region, and India’s relations with ASEAN and its member countries.
In this issue, Dr. Pradeep Taneja examines the evolving Japan–Australia security partnership, framing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s upcoming visit to Canberra as a milestone in cooperation on critical minerals and energy security, amidst the Iran war. He observes that while both nations remain anchored to the U.S. alliance, Trump’s erratic “America First” doctrine has unsettled them, prompting closer bilateral defence ties. Dr. Taneja concludes that the strengthening of this “Special Strategic Partnership” reflects how middle powers are hedging against U.S. unpredictability and China’s assertiveness while working to preserve Indo-Pacific stability.
Dr. Mishra compares India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 and Indonesia’s Indonesia Emas 2045, arguing that both nations have anchored their long-term development ambitions in the symbolism of national independence centenaries. He highlights the shared focus on the blue economy: India’s Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 aims to lift ocean-based GDP contributions to double digits, while Indonesia’s Blue Economy Roadmap targets 15% by 2045. However, Dr. Mishra cautions that without unlocking fisheries, offshore energy, marine biotechnology, and sustainable maritime infrastructure, neither country can credibly achieve its targets. He concludes that for both nations, the oceans are not peripheral to national ambition—they are its foundation.
Divya Rai examines the shifting dynamics of global arms transfers, highlighting how the Russia-Ukraine war has reshaped supply and demand. Drawing on SIPRI’s 2025 fact sheet, she notes Indonesia’s emergence as the region’s top importer with a 1.5% global share, followed by the Philippines (1.2%), Singapore (1.1%), and Thailand (0.5%). She highlights how these countries are diversifying suppliers while balancing deterrence and technological edge in a competitive Indo-Pacific environment. She concludes that Southeast Asia’s procurement patterns reflect a broader strategy of diversification and resilience, positioning the region as a critical arena in the 21st‑century great‑power rivalry.
To read this issue please click East Asia Explorer, Vol. IV, Issue 2.
