The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and David Lam Center, Simon Fraser University, with support from the Department of Political Science and Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, SFU, convened a panel on May 22, 2024 to delve into the complexities of forging robust partnerships in the Indo-Pacific against the backdrop of expanding great power rivalries. The objective was to unpack and explore the intersections of security, economic interests, and the pursuit of a rules-based international order with a focus on India, currently in the late stages of its 2024 elections (April 19-June 1), the largest in world history with nearly 1 billion people eligible to cast their ballots

With a keynote address (virtual) from Derek Grossman, Senior Defense Analyst,
The RAND Corporation, and participation by APF Canada Senior Fellows Karthik Nachiappan, Research Fellow, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, and Kai Ostwald, Director of the Institute of Asian Research, University of British Columbia, the panel discussion was moderated by APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy Vina Nadjibulla.

Below is an encore video presentation of APF Canada's event.

As a champion of a ‘free and open Indo-Pacific,’ India is rapidly emerging as a vital partner to some Southeast Asian countries. While historical and cultural ties buttress this relationship, the present moment of closeness is bolstered by a shared strategic imperative to counterbalance China, growing economic synergies, and maritime co-operation.