The Indo-Pacific Reset: Where Does India Stand?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand come at a time when the Indo-Pacific is witnessing profound geopolitical shifts. With strategic competition intensifying, maritime security assuming greater importance, and regional partnerships becoming more consequential, India’s role in shaping the Indo-Pacific security architecture is under sharper global scrutiny than ever before.

In this edition of Defence Mantra, BharatShakti’s Founder and strategic affairs analyst Nitin Gokhale examines the defence and geopolitical significance of the Prime Minister’s three-nation tour. The discussion explores Indonesia’s emergence as one of India’s most important defence partners in Southeast Asia, the strategic implications of the BrahMos missile agreement, and opportunities for expanding bilateral cooperation in defence manufacturing, maritime security and technology.

The episode also analyses the remarkable evolution of India-Australia defence ties — from political engagement to increasingly operational military cooperation.

Attention also turns to New Zealand, where defence has traditionally played a limited role in bilateral relations. Could maritime security, Indo-Pacific stability and cooperation with Pacific Island nations become the next frontier of engagement?

Beyond the bilateral agenda, the conversation examines larger strategic questions: Has India become indispensable to the Indo-Pacific? Has the Quad matured into a meaningful security framework? Does ASEAN continue to see India as a credible security partner? How does Beijing view India’s expanding strategic partnerships with Australia, Japan and Indonesia? And what should observers watch most closely for tangible defence outcomes from this landmark visit?

Nitin contends that as regional alignments continue to evolve, India’s strategic partnerships will play an increasingly important role in maintaining stability, security and balance across the Indo-Pacific.

Neelanjana Banerjee

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