While highlighting major trends that are shaping the geopolitics in the Indian Ocean Regin, India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Saturday talked about China’s rise and the changing American strategic posture to adjust itself in the multipolar world.
Jaishankar was speaking at the two-day 5th Indian Ocean Conference in Abu Dabi, ending on December 5. The theme of the Indian Ocean Conference 2021 is “Indian Ocean: Ecology, Economy, Epidemic”.
“We are meeting after a bit of a gap due to Covid. In that period, a number of developments have taken place that has a direct bearing on the well-being of the Indian Ocean Region,” he said.
“A starting point could be the trend lines that have influenced the evolution of the Indian Ocean in recent years. First and foremost is the changing American strategic posture. Since 2008 we’ve witnessed greater caution in US power projection and an effort to correct its overextension,” he added.
He pointed out that the US is moving towards greater realism and is adjusting to multipolarity and rebalancing and re-examining the balance between its domestic revival and commitments abroad.
“It may have taken different forms and been articulated in very different ways, but there’s a larger consistency over 3 administration that they themselves may not readily recognise. It is expressed in footprint and posture, terms of engagement, the extent of involvement and nature of initiatives,”…
