For much of India's post-Independence history, Australia and New Zealand occupied the margins of New Delhi's foreign policy. Geography, limited economic engagement and the absence of compelling strategic drivers ensured that both countries remained friendly but distant partners. That reality has changed fundamentally. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Australia on July 9-10 and New Zealand on July 10-11 reflects India's recognition that the political and economic centre of gravity is steadily shifting towards the Indo-Pacific and that partnerships across this vast maritime space will increasingly shape its national future.
The Indo-Pacific has become the arena where commerce, technology, energy security and military competition now intersect. The oceans that connect Asia with the Pacific carry the bulk of global trade, while beneath them run the digital cables that sustain the modern economy. Whoever contributes to the stability of these waters will influence the future of international commerce. India, by virtue of its location and growing economic weight, cannot remain a passive observer of these changes.
