U.S. lawmakers to introduce legislation to formalise Indian Ocean strategy
The Hindu
Legislation introduced by U.S. House members requires cohesive Indian Ocean strategy, focusing on economic interests and regional partnerships.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee, Joaquin Castro (Democrat, Texas) and Darrell Issa (Republican, California), will introduce legislation on Tuesday requiring the U.S. administration to present to the U.S. Congress a cohesive Indian Ocean strategy across key departments.
The Indian Ocean Region Strategic Review Act is based on a recommendation of the Bipartisan US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a body set up in 2000 to review and report on the US-China relationship.
The Commission’s November 2022 had recommended that the US administration submit an Indian Ocean Region (IOR) strategy that would include plans to develop U.S. economic interests in the region, defend freedom of navigation, support regional partners and promote cooperation with Japan , Australia, India, the U.K. and France, among others.
Mr Castro supported the Biden administration’s Indo Pacific strategy , his spokesperson told The Hindu, but felt it was too heavily focused on the Pacific Ocean and wanted the State Department to increase its prioritisation of the Indian Ocean region.
The proposed Act would require coordination across three key departments — State, Defense and the U.S International Agency for International Development (USAID) — in synthesizing and executing a strategy for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The strategy will require the U.S. to strengthen diplomatic ties in the region such as via its participation in regional organisations.
The U.S. Secretary of State will be required to, within 180 days of the Act becoming law, submit a ”multi-year strategy and implementation plan” for U.S. “engagement and posture” in the region, according to the text seen by The Hindu.
It will require the U.S. to “build upon existing agreements with strategic partners like India to foster military communication and intelligence sharing” according to a spokesperson for Mr Castro.