2025, Vol. 7, Issue 6, Part A

Framed through a hybrid theoretical lens combining realism and constructivism, the study critically evaluates India’s evolving role in the Indo-Pacific through its engagement in strategic groupings such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), and bilateral partnerships with Japan, Australia, ASEAN, and the United States. The paper interrogates India’s attempt to balance power while upholding regional inclusivity, democratic norms, and multilateralism.

Drawing from official policy documents, elite interviews, multilateral declarations, and think tank outputs, the research traces the implications of India's multi-alignment approach for the stability, hierarchy, and institutional landscape of the broader Asia-Pacific. It argues that India’s Indo-Pacific strategy does not merely respond to China’s maritime assertiveness, but actively seeks to reshape normative structures of regional order. In doing so, India positions itself not as a counterweight alone but as a co-architect of a pluralistic regional future.