COVID-19 : Boosting Indo-Pacific Alignment and India’s Regional Role

COVID-19 is regarded by many as the catalyst for a new world order, pivoted toward the Indo-Pacific—the geopolitical and geoeconomic nerve center of the 21st century. Faced with the common challenge of a non-traditional security emergency, COVID-19 has caused significant strategic shifts, lending traction to the Indo-Pacific security architecture. This is witnessed in the emerging role of the Quad as a multilateral formation committed to an enhanced partnership in the post-COVID-19 world order. Three primary factors drove the shift from the Asia-Pacific to the Indo-Pacific: the rise of China, the rise of India’s economic and strategic clout, and most importantly, the growing importance of the Indian Ocean as a strategic trade corridor carrying almost two-thirds of global oil shipments and a third of bulk cargo. COVID-19 has provided a boost to the Indo-Pacific security framework, as exemplified by the active role of the Quad