Page 10 - The Indian EYE 092724

OPINION SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 | The Indian Eye 10

Island Hopping in the Indian Ocean

Region by the United States

DR. SRIPATHI NARAYANAN

he United States Pacific De-
terrence Initiative and the re-
Tsultant expansion of defense
cooperation with Cocos (Keeling)
Island of Australia, the Philippines,
Timor Leste and Papua New Guin-
ea have the potential to alter the
geo-strategic landscape and the se-
curity calculus of the Indo-Pacific
Region.
The geopolitical contestation
in the Indo-Pacific region, which is
now synonymous with the maritime
territorial dispute in the South Chi-
na Sea, seems to be moving away
from this enclosed water body. This
is so as it has been reported that the
United States has expressed its in-
tent to develop military facilities in
the periphery of the South China
Sea, especially along the critical sea
lines of communications (SLOCs).
The United States Naval Facilities Map I: Bismarck Sea and Papua New Guinea. U.S. Set to Expand Naval Base in Papua New Guinea, US Naval Institute. Source: news.usni.org
Engineering Command has solicited
commercial bids to develop and up- Japan, the Philippines and the Unit- three proposed locations of Cocos Expanded Frontiers!
grade the military infrastructure in ed States—can be attributed as the (Keeling) Island, Papua New Guinea
Cocos (Keeling) Island of Australia, outcomes of the PDI. and Timor Leste for American mil- n terms of the island chain, the
the Philippines, Papua New Guinea It is to be noted that the Chinese itary engagement sit along some of Philippines, along with Japan and
and Timor Leste at an estimated cost have already taken a negative view of the critical SLOCS within the vicin- ITaiwan, have been an integral
of $15 billion. PDI. Beijing’s criticism is based on ity of the South China Sea, they act part of the American regional securi-
The intent to upgrade the mar- the belief that the PDI will be det- as crucial listening posts for MDA in ty architecture. Whereas Papua New
itime infrastructure in the said loca- rimental to its “equal and mutually the Indo-Pacific region. The second Guinea and Timor Leste, though new
tions is part of the United States’ Pa- beneficial cooperation” with Pacific aspect is that these outposts should to the American security calculus,
cific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) of Island countries. also be seen in the light of the ‘three play an important role. In the case
2021. The PDI is on similar lines to Expanding Frontiers island chain theory’, wherein China of Papua New Guinea, this country’s
the 2017 European Deterrence Ini- sees the need to assert its control importance lies not only in its prox-
tiative (EDI), as both are legislated hat makes this multi-bil- of islands that dot its coastline and imity to the SLOCs that crisscross the
by the US Congress with the intent to lion-dollar announcement the coastal sub-regions in the In- southern waters of Southeast Asia
focus on addressing capability gaps Wsignificant is that it is a do-Pacific region to have unhindered but also in the role that Port Moresby
of the allies and partners of the Unit- display by Washington of its commit- maritime access to the open seas the can play to counter the inroads that
ed States in the Indo-Pacific region ments to the Indo-Pacific region. By Pacific Ocean. This construct also China seems to be making with Pacif-
by prioritizing defense investments. partnering with Australia in AUKUS envisages a fourth and fifth chain ic Island countries in what was other-
While the EDI aims to “enhance and with the Philippines in SQUAD, comprising the Bay of Bengal and wise considered to be the traditional
the presence and readiness (of the Washington has reinvigorated its se- the Arabian Sea in the Indian Ocean sphere of influence of Australia and
United States) in Europe to deter curity and strategic engagement with Region, respectively. New Zealand by deepening its ties
Russian aggression,” the PDI is a both Canberra and Manila. However, For the Chinese, the prospect of with the United States.
counter-response by Washington to Papua New Guinea and Timor Les- its maritime arteries being blocked It is to be noted that in 2022 a se-
the perceived threat imposed by the te are to be seen as new avenues for by others, especially the US, is one curity agreement was signed between
expanding Chinese military capabil- American outreach, as they do not of the reasons for its aggressive mari- the Solomon Islands and China,
ity and capacity in the Indo-Pacific have a history of being a part of the time outreach and posturing. It is for which had only aggravated the anx-
Region. Thus, regional initiatives American security network in this the very same reasons that the Unit- ieties of both Canberra and Wash-
like the trilateral security partner- part of the world. Needless to say, the ed States has been engaging with ington. It was against this backdrop
ship between Australia, the United American outreach will pave the way greater vigor in the recent past in the that both Australia and the United
Kingdom, and the United States for the greater militarization of the Indo-Pacific region, especially with States inked a security and defense
(AUKUS) or the SQUAD—the re- Indo-Pacific though for deterrence. the coastal states to limit the strate- assistance agreement with Papua
gional alliance between Australia, For one, given the fact that the gic influence of Beijing in this region. Continued on next page... >>

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