PARTNERS IN THE BLUE PACIFIC

US, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the United Kingdom have launched the new initiative known as ‘Partners in the Blue Pacific’ for effective and efficient cooperation with the small island nation of the region.

It aims to enhance cooperation in the area of the climate crisis, connectivity, transportation, maritime security and protection, prosperity, health, and education.

PARTNERS IN THE BLUE PACIFIC INITIATIVE

• It is a five-nation informal mechanism to support the pacific islands and boost diplomatic and economic relations in the region.
• It focuses mainly on enhancing prosperity, resilience, and security in the pacific through closer cooperation.
• This initiative is to direct more resources either individually or together toward the pacific island countries to counter China’s aggressive outreach.
• Member partners in this initiative will elevate pacific regionalism and forge stronger ties with the pacific island forum.

IMPORTANCE OF THE PACIFIC REGION

• Based on physical and human geography islands of the pacific region are divided into three distinct parts which are Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. Though they are some of the smallest and least populated states, they have some of the largest exclusive economic zone (EEZs) in the world. Example Kiribati has EEZ larger than India’s.
• With large EEZs, they have great economic potential as they can be used to exploit the wealth of fisheries, minerals, energy and other marine resources present there.
• The pacific island countries, united together by shared economic and security concerns, account for as many votes in the United Nation and also act as a potential vote bank for a major power to mobilize international view.
• Pacific has been geographically significant because of its ability to control world supply and access. In the colonial era, the world powers would compete to get control over these strategic islands’ territories.
• Some of the major nuclear weapon test sites of the US and France are located in this region.

CHINA’S ROLE IN THE PACIFIC

The pacific zone is important for the expansion of China’s maritime and naval power.

• China has signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands and the Chinese military base is present in the southern pacific, close to the US island territory of Guam and right next to New Zealand and Australia.
• China is also pushing its game-changing agreement called “Common Development Vision” to dominate crucial shipping lanes.
• The Taiwan factor plays a major role in China’s pacific calculus as China considers Taiwan to be a breakaway territory, and is preparing for what seems like an inevitable military invasion.
• China has provided $1.5 billion in foreign aid to the region through a mixture of grants and loans.
• At the time when Quadrilateral dialogue emerged as a major force in the region, the need to influence the Pacific Island countries has now become more important for China.

STEP TAKEN BY USA TO COUNTER CHINA

• The US and its allies have started the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), a trade-boosting play in the region with 14 nations.
• G7 has come up with a Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment to rival China’s Belt and Road Initiative by promising to raise 600 billion dollars to fund development projects in middle and low-income countries.
• US seeks to strengthen the QUAD alliance and explore the Quad working with ASEAN.
• US has also developed security partnerships with Australia, and the UK (AUKUS) for the region.
• The US maintains and deploys its largest fleet ‘The Seventh Fleet” for maintaining peace and security in the region.

PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRY & INDIA’S RELATION

India is expanding its outreach to the Pacific Island region that falls organically into China’s maritime strategic expansionist policy.

• India has started providing soft development loans to the islands in South Pacific.

• A huge Indian diaspora is present in the Pacific country which strengthens India’s relationship with this region, nearly 40% of Fiji’s population is of Indian origin and more than 3000 Indians live in Papua New Guinea.
• India participated in the Pacific Island Forum as one of the key dialogue partners of the forum. In the India -Pacific Island Forum held in Jaipur, India extended the limits of its Act East Policy to the South Pacific region.
• Also, all the 14 Pacific Island countries support India’s Permanent Membership in the United Nations.
• The formation of an action-oriented Forum for India and Pacific Island Countries is also strengthening its tie with pacific nations.

India doesn’t have a permanent military base in the Pacific Island region and its Eastern Fleet based in Visakhapatnam has operations up to the Strait of Malacca. Also, presently India has permanent diplomatic postings only in Papua New Guinea and Fiji. Given the limitations, India’s ambition in the Indo- Pacific can be enhanced by expanding its diplomatic outreach to the strategic islands and advancing the SAGAR initiative for cooperation in the blue economy.