ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the development of the Indo-Pacific security architecture from the colonial period to the present. It details how imperial intervention dismantled indigenous security orders and triggered regional conflicts, culminating in the systemic realignments of the post–World War II era. The emergence of the Cold War's bipolar structure, centered on US alliances and Soviet influence, redefined the region's strategic landscape. Realist, liberal, and constructivist interpretations of the Indo-Pacific framework are introduced, alongside a discussion of their analytical limitations. The chapter further outlines contemporary security dynamics, including the intensification of US–China strategic competition, unresolved territorial disputes, the evolution of North Korea's nuclear program, and ASEAN's role in regional diplomacy. The analysis highlights how historical legacies, shifting power configurations, and emerging regional actors such as India, Japan, and Australia continue to shape the security order of the Indo-Pacific.
