Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific?

Podcast episodes

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  Why Should We Care About U.S.-India Relations as the Trump 2.0 Era Dawns?

  Why Should We Care About U.S.-India Relations as the Trump 2.0 Era Dawns?

  E68

  Apr 4, 2025

  51:10

  Two of India’s most respected foreign policy, national security and international relations experts, former Ambassador Alok Prasad and Mr. Vaman Dasai, join Jim and Ray to explore the evolving bilateral relationship between the U.S. and India, which is increasingly seen as one of the globe’s defining partnership for the 21st century. They reflect on the recent visit to Washington by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our guests reflected that even with India bracing for the prospect of Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs–especially given India’s large trade surplus with the U.S.–the two countries agreed to attempt to more than double bilateral trade by 2030 under the “Mission 500” target. India has emerged as a hub for “global capability centers”, a magnet for foreign countries. India is also benefiting from companies looking for new manufacturing locations as China becomes less competitive, but it will need to overcome a reputation for being a hard place to do business. Meanwhile, India is expected to increase its imports of American energy and defense articles–both of which would mark shifts from Russian suppliers. Technological cooperation is another key area of focus, especially in emerging tech such as autonomous systems. India and China have stabilized their long-running border tensions, but a host of other concerns remain, including over China’s damming of rivers running into northern India. India’s role in global governance is multifaceted, as New Delhi continues to balance its relationships with international organizations as diverse as BRICS and the Quad. Learn more about Ambassador Alok Prasad, Mr. Vaman Dasai and the rest of BowerGroupAsia’s India team. Follow us on X, @IndoPacPodcast; or on LinkedIn or BlueSky at our show title, Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific? Follow Ray Powell on X (@GordianKnotRay) or on LinkedIn. Follow Jim Carouso on LinkedIn. Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power. Follow IEJ Media on X (@iejmedia), and follow our producer Ian Ellis-Jones on X (@ianellisjones) or on LinkedIn. This podcast is sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.

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  Why Should We Care Why Asia’s Not Afraid of “America First”?

  Why Should We Care Why Asia’s Not Afraid of “America First”?

  E67

  Mar 28, 2025

  43:44

  Former Singaporean diplomat Bilihari Kausikan joins Jim and Ray to discuss the implications of Donald Trump’s second term and his “America First” policies for Asia. Bilihari emphasizes that a focus on domestic policy is not unusual for U.S. presidents, and that Asian countries have learned to adapt practically to American policy changes. In fact, he believes that the current administration’s policies are closer to America’s historical norm than many realize. Ultimately, he believes that American stability is crucial for Asian prosperity, and that Asia needs continued U.S. military presence. According to Bilihari, Asians have different expectations for the so-called rules-based order than westerners, and tend not to be as sensitive to violations of norms. He says that Trump’s emphasis on hard deterrence and “peace through strength” can be more effective in Asia than appeals to values. Bilihari notes that Singapore in particular values economic rules over political ones. The conversation turned to Taiwan, which Bilihari believes has suffered from a sense of entitlement to U.S. support, spending insufficiently on its own defense and lacking strategic focus. For the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Bilihari explains that its main objective is to manage relations between the member states, and that is where it is most effective. He believes that it must continue to adapt to changing realities to stay relevant. Finally, Bilihari explains his famous assertion that ASEAN is a cow, not a horse. Read Bilihari Kausikan’s January 2025 article in Foreign Affairs magazine, “Who’s Afraid of America First?” Follow us on X, @IndoPacPodcast; or on LinkedIn or BlueSky at our show title, Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific? Follow Ray Powell on X (@GordianKnotRay) or on LinkedIn. Follow Jim Carouso on LinkedIn. Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power. Follow IEJ Media on X (@iejmedia), and follow our producer Ian Ellis-Jones on X (@ianellisjones) or on LinkedIn. This podcast is sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.

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  Why Should We (and Especially Taiwan) Care About China's New "Invasion Barges"?

  Why Should We (and Especially Taiwan) Care About China's New "Invasion Barges"?

  E66

  Mar 25, 2025

  52:58

  Why Should We (and especially Taiwan) Care About China’s New “Invasion Barges”? Defense expert Tom Shugart joins Ray and Jim to explain China’s so-called “invasion barges”, which have recently gained wide attention exercising along China’s coast. Tom explains how these barges are a significant leap forward for China’s ability to carry out a Taiwan invasion. Tom explains how these barges would be used in an amphibious landing along Taiwan’s famously inaccessible coastline, and how their design opens up options for China to overcome this obstacle. These barges highlight the need for Taiwan to bolster its defenses along its western coast and into the Taiwan Strait itself. This should also serve as a wake-up call to the United States, as its assumptions about China’s military capabilities are rapidly growing obsolete. Tom also talks about his recent work highlighting the need for U.S. air base hardening against attack in the Indo-Pacific, as its large bases are now highly vulnerable to China’s growing arsenal of stand-off weapons. A former submarine warfare officer, Tom also discusses the challenges faced by the U.S. shipbuilding industry to ensure its ability to meet America’s own needs, as well as those for its ally Australia under the AUKUS agreement. Tom asserts that its new barges are further evidence that China can no longer be considered merely an imitator of America, but is now innovating in ways that are pushing its capabilities strongly forward. As the geopolitical consequences of a Chinese conquest of Taiwan would be profound for US alliances, rapid investment in defense infrastructure is critical for both the US and Taiwan. Follow Tom Shugart on X, @tshugart3. Follow us on X, @IndoPacPodcast; or on LinkedIn or BlueSky at our show title, Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific? Follow Ray Powell on X (@GordianKnotRay) or on LinkedIn. Follow Jim Carouso on LinkedIn. Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power. Follow IEJ Media on X (@iejmedia), and follow our producer Ian Ellis-Jones on X (@ianellisjones) or on LinkedIn. This podcast is sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.

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  Why Should We Care About "Dark Fleets"?

  Why Should We Care About "Dark Fleets"?

  E65

  Mar 21, 2025

  52:00

  Ray and Jim welcome Dr. Sal Mercogliano, maritime historian and host of the popular YouTube channel What’s Going on with Shipping?, to talk about how “dark fleets”--or what he calls "parallel fleets"--challenge maritime law and Indo-Pacific security by evading international shipping regulations and sanctions against malign actors. Sal talks about how Russia is the country most associated with dark fleets, because sanctions have prompted the country to create a parallel fleet using third-country “flags of convenience”. Many of these countries are magnets for bad actors because they have very lax standards and regulations for registration. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is supposed to oversee shipping worldwide, has struggled to enforce and regulate activities at sea, which remains a lawless space. One particularly thorny issue is illegal ship-to-ship transfers. Besides enabling sanctions evasion, these transfers also pose environmental risks as they frequently result in spills. Sal also talks about the state of the U.S. shipping industry, both of which are alarmingly small. This presents a national security vulnerability for a great power with global interests, especially as China dominates global shipping and owns over 20 percent of the world’s ships. He argues for bipartisan legislation to reform America’s merchant marine. Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power. Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.

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  Why Should We Care About the Philippines’ Marcos-Duterte Feud?

  Why Should We Care About the Philippines’ Marcos-Duterte Feud?

  E64

  Mar 19, 2025

  52:35

  Jim and Ray welcome broadcast journalist and news anchor Regina Lay to discuss the dramatic feud between the Marcos and Duterte political dynasties in the Philippines. Just three years ago these families were united behind a “Uniteam” ticket which secured an overwhelming electoral victory, but today Vice President Sara Duterte stands impeached and former President Rodrigo Duterte has been handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for prosecution for crimes against humanity. Reggie helps untangle the political and legal elements of these cases, including how the Rodrigo Duterte prosecution holds implications for not only the Philippines but also for the ICC as a landmark test of its legitimacy. She also unpacks the impeachment case against Sara Duterte, which began with an investigation into her financial dealings but has since blossomed into allegations of plotting to assassinate President Marcos. The conversation then turns to the conflicting narratives which have fractured along regional and class lines, and also across dueling social media platforms. They discuss how the results of the May 2025 mid-term elections may be impacted by these events, and how the elections will in turn affect how Sara Duterte’s senate trial proceeds. Finally, they compare these events to the political turmoil in the United States, and consider what opportunities Beijing may seek to exploit amidst their democratic rivals' chaos. Follow Regina Lay on One News PH, where she co-hosts the afternoon Storycon show. Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power. Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.