Modi Courts Indo-Pacific Partners as China, US Reshape Region

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(Bloomberg) — From missiles and uranium to critical minerals and sports diplomacy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used a three-nation tour to deepen India’s Indo-Pacific partnerships as regional powers strengthen ties amid China’s growing influence and uncertainty over US engagement.

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In recent weeks, Modi has stepped up engagement across the Indo-Pacific, signing a flurry of agreements ranging from the sale of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Indonesia to defense, energy and critical minerals partnerships with Australia, underscoring New Delhi’s ambition to play a bigger strategic role in the region.

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The agreements came against a backdrop of heightened security tensions, including China testing a nuclear-capable ballistic missile in the Pacific the day before Modi arrived in Indonesia. The rare test drew protests from several countries and renewed concerns over Beijing’s expanding military reach.

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The deals also reflect a broader effort by Indo-Pacific countries to shoulder more of the region’s security and economic burden as Washington presses allies and partners to take on a larger role while China expands its influence. 

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Australia and Fiji this month also signed a defense pact dubbed the “Ocean of Peace,” marking Suva’s first formal security alliance and underscoring a wider trend toward deeper regional cooperation, with New Zealand subsequently saying it planned to join too.

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“The rise of China as a major power in the Indo-Pacific region is leading to a new landscape. Countries are responding to that,” said Ashok Malik, India chair at the Asia Group, a consulting firm. “Clearly the US footprint is declining in the region and other countries are trying to come together to fill the gap to whatever degree is possible.”

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Malik said the agreements, including with Japan earlier this month, all point in the same direction: countries are pooling resources on areas such as semiconductors, critical minerals, maritime security and defense to reduce vulnerabilities as they face pressure from both the US and China.

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“What you’re seeing emerge in the region, and I’ve been a big supporter and driver of getting New Zealand into it, is what we call mini-latticeworks or multilateral arrangements between a small set of countries,” New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Saturday after meeting with Modi. 

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“Our relationships with China are the same as what we manage with many other countries, which is we cooperate where we can, we differ where we must, and we work with like-minded countries to advance our own national interests,” Luxon said.  

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Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has pressed allies to shoulder a greater share of the region’s security burden, imposed tariffs on partners and competitors alike, and shifted the administration’s messaging by dropping “Indo” from the name of the US Indo-Pacific Command, even as officials insist the military’s mission remains unchanged.