POWER STRUGGLE IN THE INDO-PACIFIC: ASSESSING REGIONAL SECURITY AMID US-CHINA RIVALRY

This research paper explores the escalating geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and China in the Indo-Pacific, which has become the focal point of global strategic competition. It traces the historical evolution of the Indo-Pacific as a geopolitical construct and examines how its maritime and economic interconnections have shaped its centrality in international politics. Adopting an analytical methodology grounded in qualitative assessment, the study investigates the key drivers of US-China rivalry, including territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas, military modernization, competing governance ideologies, and the contrasting strategic visions represented by China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the US’ ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ strategy. It further highlights the complex role of regional actors such as India, Japan, Australia, and ASEAN nations, who navigate difficult choices between economic engagement with China and security cooperation with the United States through strategies of alignment, hedging, or multilateral diplomacy. The paper also evaluates the broader global implications of this competition, particularly in trade, technology, and security architecture, while cautioning against miscalculations in flashpoints like Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula, and the South China Sea. Finally, it underscores the need for inclusive and sustainable multilateral frameworks to balance competition with cooperation that would foster long-term stability in the Indo-Pacific.