New Delhi, Oct. 21 -- The Indo-Pacific region has seen far fewer overt conflicts than continents like Europe, the Middle East, or Africa. While disputes persist (South China Sea, boundary frictions, strategic competition, etc.), the scale of instability-open warfare, civil wars, frequent regime collapses-is less pervasive. One explanation often offered is that regional alignments-like the QUAD (U.S., India, Japan, Australia)-plus India's evolving strategic policies help underpin stability.

But peace has many causes; India's strategy alone is not enough, although it is an important pillar. This essay explores India's evolving Indo-Pacific strategy-its policies such as Act East, SAGAR, the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), and newer o...