India, Vietnam in the Indo-Pacific: A Unifying Construct

Abstract

Is Indo-Pacific the one overarching forum, evolving from a geopolitical imagination that can bring the two countries closer? If it be so, then what are the avenues and possibilities that exist in the Indo-Pacific sphere for India and Vietnam, and what are the benefits and drawbacks of subscription to such a concept? Will it be feasible enough to sustain the aspirations as well as concerns of the two countries or there is a need for returning back to basics, and entrusting ASEAN with the centrality which is required for peace and security in the larger Asia-Pacific region. Is China a necessary evil or is it being demonised by the western media? What could be the contours of the evolving geopolitical order when alternatives such as BRICS, SCO, and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank have been getting attention and subscription from countries across Europe, Africa, and Asia? Has regionalism lost sheen and bilateralism is the only way to deal with larger security and political issues. This paper would address these issues and look for possibilities with regard to India and Vietnam cooperating in the geo-political, and geo-strategic construct which is now known as Indo-Pacific.