A new report produced by the Australia India Institute at the University of Melbourne has found an Australia, India, Republic of Korea (ROK) partnership represents an important strategic opportunity for the region as the rules-based order erodes.
The report is the first to examine the possibility of this strategic partnership. It argues that by combining Australia’s regional engagement and diplomatic networks, India’s strategic and manufacturing weight as well as its influence in the Global South and the ROK’s technological and industrial capabilities, the trilateral could emerge as an influential pillar of Indo-Pacific.
University of Melbourne Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global Culture & Engagement) and Distinguished Fellow of the Australia India Institute Professor Michael Wesley said the Indo-Pacific’s future will be shaped by how countries respond to challenges and work together.
“Australia, India and the Republic of Korea are well placed to deepen cooperation in ways that strengthen regional stability, resilience and prosperity,” Professor Wesley said.
“What makes this report important is that it moves the conversation from aspiration to action. By identifying where interests align and where collaboration can deliver tangible outcomes, it provides a practical framework for building stronger regional partnerships and advancing shared regional goals.”
The report emphasises the importance of reshaping a regional order which is Asian-led in the face of regional instability, as opposed to reflecting externally driven norms shaped by the West.
The Strategic Imperative for an Australia, India, South Korea Partnership was also launched at the Sejong Institute in Seoul. Produced in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and funded by the Korea Foundation.
It is the result of more than eighty interviews with government, think tank, diplomatic, academic, and industry representatives, as well as current and former uniformed personnel in New Delhi, Seoul, Melbourne and online.
