Regional Cooperative Security in the Indo-Pacific : Synergizing Consultative Mechanisms across the Indian Ocean, East China Sea, South China Sea, and the Western Pacific

Given the concept of a broader Asia that is fast transcending geographical boundaries and lines, the emerging proximities render the prospects for collective and cooperative regional security mechanisms, more deliverable than ever before. With the notion of the greater Indo-Pacific beginning to eclipse the limited spheres of influence of the Indian Ocean, East China Sea, South China Sea, and the Western Pacific, regional players are expected to make prudent choices, whilst pursuing a sovereign foreign policy path that best suits their national security interests. Indubitably, greater onus shall lie on the regional liberal democracies that have perennially demonstrated respect for the rule of international law, norms, and agreements and showcase their strategic sagacity in the emerging scenario developing in the Indo-Pacific. This paper intends to outline the pragmatist policy approach to be undertaken by India, Japan, Australia and the US towards a cooperative and consultative working framework to address common threats and challenges to regional peace and stability