With the newfound significance of the sea-lanes of communication (SLOCs) in the Indian Ocean Region and the western Pacific Ocean has been on rise in the contemporary geopolitical scenario. As predicted by the maritime strategists Alfred Mahan and Robert Kaplan, the Indian Ocean is the latest arena for the major global powers to secure their trade routes and energy needs. But, instead of emphasizing on the maintenance of freedom of navigation through these trade routes, the contemporary superpowers i.e. USA and China seem to be wrestling for establishing control over them. May it be the Maritime Silk Route or USA‘s Pacific Command being renamed as Indo-Pacific, the vitality of the SLOCs in Indo-Pacific has attracted various peacetime military and non–military engagements. Hence, it is essential to explore new avenues of peacetime defence cooperation in the form of military cooperation, intelligence sharing, and strategic planning, to include advanced platforms like fifth-generation fighters, nuclear submarines, and aircraft carriers. Along with major powers the role of intermediate and peripheral states like Oceania and south east Asian states cannot be overlooked. This paper focuses on understanding the geostrategic significance of the SLOCs and the impact of the Sino-American trade war on the peace and stability of the region. Also, India due to its location, is bound to be a key player in determining the balance of power. The paper also tries to find the strengths and weaknesses of the India‘s maritime doctrine and strategic impact of India‘s defence capabilities and the role of UNCLOS with respect to contemporary maritime defence cooperation in the Indo-pacific, with a specific reference to China‘s military and non-military engagements in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean Region. The paper also attempts to identify the opportunities for India to engage with South China Sea littorals, using various game theories. The paper also critically evaluates the role of QUAD in promoting the Free and Open Indo-pacific.
Keywords: Indo-Pacific region, Defence Cooperation, Sino-American Trade War, South China Sea, Indian Ocean Region, UNCLOS, etc.
