ISAS Special Reports

The Indo-Pacific region is undergoing significant geopolitical and geoeconomic shifts, driven by the intensifying competition between China and the United States (US), which has raised concerns over supply chain security and the future of regional security architecture. This competition, coupled with the return of Donald Trump as US president, has led regional powers to seek a more prominent role in shaping the region’s future. The India-France-Japan trilateral initiative offers a platform for these nations to align their strategies and address common challenges. ISAS, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation of Japan and the French Institute of International Relations organised a Track 1.5 dialogue session in 2024 among experts and officials from these three key maritime democracies in the Indo-Pacific. The event examined key shifts, such as the re-evaluation of power balances, contestation of norms and reactivation of geopolitical fault lines. The discussions also explored issues like nuclear disarmament, critical mineral supply chains, freedom of navigation and climate change, highlighting the region’s evolving security, economic and multilateral dynamics.