ABSTRACT
Two developments in the post-Cold War world order have been instrumental in orienting global attention to the Indo-Pacific region- rapid globalisation and China’s assertiveness. Since Asia-Pacific referred to the littoral states of Asia and the Pacific, deriving a nomenclature that captures the essence of the Asian century and allows a large number of actors to cooperate in coping with China's growing power became desirable. Beyond these, the Indo-Pacific has a sound geo-economics rationale as it allows for economic integration. The strategic views of the major states of this region have many divergences, though most of them seek to find a link among their Indo-Pacific visions. Thus, it is of interest to discuss the areas of convergence and divergence in the visions for the Indo-Pacific among the regional actors concerning how to deal with China and other developmental concerns. As a security framework, four major powers- Japan, US, Australia and India, have formed the Quad, which has shown determination to provide an alternative. The economic framework has arisen in the form of RCEP and CPTPP to facilitate trade and investment. Taking cognisance of these issues, the introductory chapter encapsulates and connects the chapters on various themes to present a coherent analytical narrative.
