Mapping the India USA Japan Strategic Convergence in the Indo Pacific

Abstract

The study has focused on undertaking an in-depth analysis of the trilateral relationship between India, US and Japan that has evolved over the last decade in the backdrop of the shifting geopolitical landscape in the Indo-Pacific region. For this purpose, the study has examined the three states’ foreign policy approaches vis-à-vis the Indo-Pacific region with a focus on their trilateral framework of cooperation. The study investigates how these three democracies which share such core values as respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, respect for a rules-based order, international rules, and norms, have moved closer forging a trilateral relationship and what is the focus of their trilateral cooperation in the region. The study has sought to identify the possible pathways towards building a robust, comprehensive, and sustainable regime of cooperation between the three states. While the changes in their security policies are formed by balancing behavior towards China, the resurgence and collaboration of these three powers reveal an intricate and profound transformation of the regional order.