The Forum for Global Studies, New Delhi, a multidisciplinary global think tank organized an exclusive interview with special guest Prof. Jakub Zajączkowski on the theme, ‘Assessing India’s Strategic Autonomy in the Indo-Pacific Region‘ on 6th February 2022. The programme started with the welcome speech delivered by FGS Founding President Dr. Sandeep Tripathi. He extended a warm welcome to the distinguished Prof. Jakub Zajączkowski (Head of Department at the Department of Regional and Global Studies, Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw, Poland.)
The lecture was moderated by Mr. Mayank Singh, Defence Correspondent, The New Indian Express, New Delhi. Prof. Zajączkowsk started by expressing his pleasure on being part of the interview based on the significant amount of buzz the term “Indo- Pacific” as a geostrategic construct is gaining, and its importance vis~a~vis the strategic value and the International perspective towards the Indo-Pacific. At the beginning of the lecture, Prof. Zajączkowski highlighted the political and economic factors as six countries of G20 are in the Indo-Pacific, then the Nuclear weapons factor and the Sea- Line factor of communication that links Europe, the Middle East, and Asia and how almost all the Asian countries depend on the Sea Line of communication. He elaborated extensively on the growing inclination towards the use of the term “Indo-Pacific” and its probable connection to the emergence of China as an assertive power among its neighboring countries, South Asia and East Asia. The speaker commented on how the Indo-Pacific is a political concept proposed and promoted by the United States and its allies symbolizing a Democratic regional and global order accompanied by a friendly and open Indo-Pacific.
Mr. Mayank initiated a discussion over the changing dynamics in the Indo-Pacific with respect to India’s stance in the region. He also reminded the importance of organizations such as BRICS, RIC, and Shanghai Cooperation Organization where the major stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific like India, Russia, and China are member nations. They generate a multilateral dialogue where the Russian Federation has shown much interest in the matters of the Indo-Pacific. Prof. Zajączkowski opined that Indo-Pacific for the United States and its allies is an alternative to China’s Belt and Road initiative emphasizing on the Pacific bilateral agreements between the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. According to the speaker, the QUAD is an addition to the list of organizations in the Indo-Pacific and its main objective is to face non-military challenges. There is organizational cooperation initiated by many countries in the Indo-Pacific, a kind of pivotal shift which dates back to Barrack Obama’s presidential terms.
The final round of the session was moderated by Mr. Mayank Singh as he highlighted India’s focus on the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Made in India’ policies. He concluded with the words of the former chief Defense Staff of the Indian Armed Forces, Late General Vipin Rawat, “a time should come when India should fight its war with its weapons”. Towards the end of the session, Dr. Sandeep Tripathi put forward his views on the topic and thanked Professor Jakub Zajaczkowski for his excellent insights and for gracing the Forum for Global Studies with his presence for the interview.