India, IPEF, and Building a Resilient Architecture for the Indo‐Pacific

ABSTRACT This article examines how India can leverage the unique modular design of the Indo‐Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) to make way for a middle‐power coalition aimed at establishing a resilient, rules‐based regional architecture. The Indo‐pacific region, like any other geopolitical region, is an area of contestation and competition among the major powers like the United States and China. However, this article focuses on how middle powers like India can navigate through such turmoil keeping its strategic autonomy intact. Our focus is on the IPEF as an instrument for India to leverage a leadership opportunity for itself. A substantial amount of work exists arguing the need for India to balance China and its dominance in the region given India's economic interdependence with it. Our work assesses the need for India to craft a niche policy for the Indo‐pacific and examines the challenges India might face in doing so.