Bangladesh vis-à-vis the Indo-Pacific Strategy : Exploring the Country’s Priorities and Prospects

Abstract

The Indo-Pacific region is an area of contention and critical debate between two of the biggest global powers; the United States and 
China in their relentless efforts to exert influence in the region. The Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) is the creation of the United States of 
America, which envisions itself having a substantially germane presence in the region by strengthening ties with the countries of this part of the world. The strengthening process for includes economic partnerships, cross-border collaborations, regional data localization, environmental cooperation and so on. IPS has been seen as the US's undisputable ambition to replace the overpowering dominance of China's presence and influence in the region. As observed, the Asian Giant's presence in the form of financial investments in the Indo-Pacific area concretely binds the countries to China, and strengthens bilateral partnerships between the formers and the latter. Bangladesh, being an important actor in the region has garnered much interest for the Indo-Pacific allies 
(i.e. Australia, France, Japan etc.) to integrate the country into the Strategy and embolden their regional influence to a greater extent. This paper focuses on the prospects of the Indo-Pacific Strategy in relation to Bangladesh. Despite not being a founding member of the IPS, Bangladesh is still a country of great importance to the United States for their strategic aspirations. The paper notes that Bangladesh itself is studying the prospects of joining the Indo-Pacific Strategy. However, the strategy, coupled with its economic framework, the IPEF, strategizes a position of "seeming antithesis" to China. This strategy flagrantly contravenes Bangladesh's tenet of "Friendship with All Countries". The paper then discusses Bangladesh's own agendas and primary priorities; most notably the Rohingya refugee crisis, infrastructural development, trade security, implementing green energy to address Climate Change and so on. The paper explores whether or not the Indo-Pacific Strategy goes against Bangladesh's foreign policy principles of neutrality in 
global contentions. Upon analyzing a substantial number of data, the conclusion signifies that Bangladesh should adhere to its traditional approach for maintaining its strategic autonomy in foreign policy, and as well make a realistic assessment of the benefits and risks that the IPS may portend for it.