India’s World, Volume 2, Issue 8, August 2026

The End of the Indo-Pacific?

The Indo-Pacific has become one of the defining strategic concepts of the twenty-first century. Yet a recent shift in Washington’s approach has raised questions about whether the region’s strategic momentum can survive changing American priorities. This issue of India’s World examines whether the Indo-Pacific is fraying, or whether it is instead entering a new phase in which regional powers, partnerships, and institutions play a greater role in shaping its future.

In his editorial note, Happymon Jacob argues that the Indo-Pacific will retain traction in the region notwithstanding American mood swings. Darshana M. Baruah opens the issue by proposing an emerging architecture built around “anchors, nodes, and levers”—a network of strategic partnerships and existing capabilities rather than another new institution.

The cover story brings together diverse perspectives on the region’s changing strategic landscape. Daniel Markey examines Washington’s evolving approach, while Indrani Bagchi argues that the Indo-Pacific is recentering rather than fraying. Rory Medcalf explores Australia’s security web, Manjeet S. Pardesi revisits the history of maritime Asian order, and Gaurav Saini traces the Asian origins of the Indo-Pacific idea. Sarabjeet S. Parmar assesses the Quad beyond the rhetoric, while Xie Chao offers a Chinese perspective on the limits of the strategy.

The issue also explores India’s strategic choices, China’s nuclear ambitions, diplomatic history, theory, culture, and the geopolitics of the 2026 World Cup.