Fellows Seminar Series | Navigating the Indo-Pacific: Development Cooperation as a Diplomatic Tool

The Indo-Pacific, a region of strategic geopolitical importance, has seen a surge in developmental partnerships, with countries of the Global North and South engaging in varied cooperation modalities such as North-South, South- South, and triangular development collaborations. As development partnerships have evolved from traditional donor-recipient frameworks to more equitable partnerships, the paper “Navigating the Indo-Pacific: Development Cooperation as a Diplomatic Tool” explores how development cooperation has become an essential tool in diplomacy, blending geopolitical interests with broader foreign policy objectives.

The paper highlights key interventions by countries such as Japan, Australia, France, the European Union, the United States, and India, each employing development cooperation to enhance governance, infrastructure, resilience, and economic stability in the region. The analysis also discusses the complexities of using development partnerships as a diplomatic instrument, touching upon challenges related to geopolitical influence, sovereignty concerns, and aid dependency. Ultimately, the paper argues for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to development cooperation, considering recipient countries' political and economic dynamics to ensure sustainable and effective outcomes.

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