India’s recent defence agreements with Australia and Japan highlight efforts to modernize its defence industry and counter China’s assertive military stance amid shifting Asian geopolitics.
Why Focus on Southeast Asia:
- India focuses on Southeast Asia due to its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific, shared concerns over China’s aggression, and the need to strengthen regional security.
- Partnerships align with India’s Act East policy and bolster defence collaboration, influence, and economic ties.
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| The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) comprises ten member countries in Southeast Asia. These are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. |
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Agreements on Key Developments in Defence Cooperation to Counter China
- India-Australia Defence Agreement:
- Air-to-Air Refuelling:
- Facilitates interoperability and extended reach of both countries’ air forces.
- Enhances joint operational capabilities and strategic reach in the Indo-Pacific.
- India-Japan Defence Collaboration:
- Stealth Equipment Production: Recent MoU focuses on the joint production of stealth technology for Indian warships.
- Broader Industrial Cooperation: Strengthens India’s defence manufacturing capabilities and fosters mutual trust in regional security.
| Stealth Technology refers to advanced techniques and materials designed to make military assets like aircraft, ships, and submarines less detectable by radar, sonar, infrared, or other surveillance systems. |
Key Drivers of Enhanced Cooperation
1. Chinese Assertiveness:
- Territorial Disputes and Diplomacy: China has been assertive in territorial disputes with its neighbors, including India, often using aggressive “wolf-warrior” diplomacy and muscular unilateralism with others.
- Recently, it has shifted to charm diplomacy, but skeptics warn this could change quickly.
Wolf Warrior Diplomacy
- It is an aggressive and confrontational style of Chinese diplomacy that emerged prominently in recent years.
- It reflects a more assertive approach by Chinese diplomats in defending China’s interests, countering criticism, and promoting its global agenda.
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- Military Dominance:
- Beijing’s massive defence production capabilities overshadow the collective military expenditures of its neighbours, including India and Japan.
- For example, between 1995 and 2020, China commissioned 70 submarines, showcasing its formidable industrial infrastructure.
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2. Regional Reactions to China:
- Greater Security Cooperation: Asian nations recognize the need for the US to balance China’s growing dominance.
- Rejection of “Asia for Asians” Rhetoric: Previously, the idea of “Asia for Asians” opposed the military presence of external powers.
- Today, few support this view, as many see it as China’s attempt to dominate the region and fear its growing power imbalance.
- Most countries now favor a balanced power structure in Asia.
Weakening of US Military Dominance in Asia
- Eroding Military Dominance
- The U.S. no longer enjoys unchallenged military supremacy in East Asia, as China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) rapidly expands its capabilities.
- While U.S. forces maintain a technological edge, the PLA’s quantitative growth is shifting the regional balance of power.
- Global Resource Constraints
- Unlike China, which focuses its military resources on Asia, the U.S. must divide its attention across multiple fronts—Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
- Renewed conflicts, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East, have stretched American military commitments, leaving fewer resources for Asia.
- Challenges in Defense Production
- The U.S. struggles to meet rising global demands for weapons, constrained by aging production facilities and a shortage of skilled personnel.
- This has led Washington to seek partnerships with allies like Japan and South Korea to bolster maritime and defense capabilities.
- Sustainability Concerns
- While the U.S. asserts its ability to manage conflicts on multiple fronts, critics highlight operational challenges and question the long-term sustainability of such expansive military involvement.
- Balancing its commitments across regions remains a significant hurdle.
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Way Forward for India
- Strengthening Defence Partnerships: Continue building strong defence ties with countries like Australia, Japan, the United States, and ASEAN nations.
- Joint military exercises, intelligence sharing, and defence industrial collaborations will be crucial in countering regional threats, particularly from China.
- Modernization and Capacability Building of Defence Industry: Focus on modernizing India’s defence industry through indigenous production and partnerships, especially in stealth technology, aircraft refuelling, and missile systems.
- Protecting Strategic Maritime Routes: Given the importance of the Indo-Pacific region, India should enhance its maritime capabilities and increase cooperation with regional partners to secure vital shipping lanes, especially the Strait of Malacca.
- Diplomatic Engagement: India should strengthen its role as a regional stabilizer, advocating for a balanced power structure in Asia, opposing China’s hegemonic ambitions.
- Promoting “Indo-Pacific” cooperation will help India position itself as a central player in shaping regional security dynamics.
- Expanding India’s Defence Export Market: India must boost domestic defence production to manufacture high-quality, cost-effective systems, strengthening its capabilities and creating export-ready products to meet global demand.
- Investing in Technology and Innovation
- Promote private sector involvement in advanced weaponry, surveillance, and cybersecurity.
- Foster public-private partnerships for rapid technological advancements.
- Leverage initiatives like the India-US ICE-T partnership to drive joint R&D, technology transfer, and a robust defence tech ecosystem.
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Conclusion
India must accelerate its reform efforts to address the growing defence capability gap with China and capitalize on the global opportunities available to transform its defence industrial base.
28 Nov 2024
