New Delhi, 23 February 2024: The Raisina Dialogue, an annual conference on geopolitics and geo-economics held in India, provided a platform for insightful discussions on global issues. Among the speakers, Tetsuya Watanabe, President of  ERIA, addressed the audience on the theme of resilience in the Indo-Pacific region. 

President Watanabe highlighted the importance of understanding and strengthening resilience in the Indo-Pacific against geopolitical risks. He emphasised the complex relationship between strategic and economic activities, stressing the need for diversified and resilient supply chains in the region. According to President Watanabe, India and ASEAN play key roles in fostering such supply chains, offering production capacities that can withstand global uncertainties.

The concept of a resilient Indo-Pacific, Watanabe noted, relies on robust connectivity, digitalisation, and human capital development. He also stressed the need for effective data governance, drawing inspiration from successful practices in India and other regional countries to build a fairer, more secure, reliable, and trustworthy data governance for the Indo-Pacific.

Moderated by Anita Prakash, ERIA’s Director for Policy Relations, the session further explored the nuances of resilience in the Indo-Pacific. Panellists from Viet Nam, the USA, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and France offered diverse perspectives on the topic, highlighting its significance on a global scale. The Deputy Foreign Minister of Viet Nam, Do Hung Viet, spoke at the panel session about how the Indo-Pacific is home to the most dynamic economies of the world, including aspirational economies. Yet, the region is also the theatre of immense economic and security tensions.

The session also introduced a joint research project between ERIA and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) titled ‘Regional Integration in the Indo-Pacific: Connectivity, Cooperation, and New Supply-Chain Linkages.’ This project aims to deepen understanding of regional dynamics and inform policy frameworks for enhancing resilience and promoting sustainable development.

ERIA's discussions at the Raisina Dialogue 2024 emphasised the importance of resilience in the Indo-Pacific. As the region gains prominence, addressing resilience becomes crucial for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.