UK must look beyond India in Indo-Pacific, says Chatham House

AS NARENDRA MODI visits the UK this week, a leading British thinktank on Tuesday (22) urged the government to take a broader strategic approach to the Indo-Pacific region.

In a paper titled ‘Why the Indo-Pacific should be a higher priority for the UK’, the Royal Institute of International Affairs – commonly known as Chatham House – has called for a refresh of the UK’s Indo-Pacific strategy. It warned that a narrow focus on India alone risks missing wider opportunities and challenges in the region, particularly in neighbouring south Asian economies that are not following the same growth trajectory.

The paper suggested that while the FTA with India is a significant step, it should not be seen as the end of Britain’s engagement with the Indo-Pacific. Instead, it recommended deepening partnerships through trilateral arrangements involving India and other key players such as France, Australia and the United States.

“In south Asia, the UK needs to build on its successful conclusion of a limited trade deal with India to widen the scope of bilateral cooperation,” the paper said. It urged the government for alignment with both countries’ broader foreign policy interests, including joint engagement with the Global South and the US.

The FTA, concluded in May 2025, aims to double bilateral trade to $120 billion (£93bn) by 2030. However, Chatham House noted that India’s protectionist policies may limit the deal’s transformative potential. Therefore, it advocates for complementary efforts, such as bolstering initiatives such as the UK’s Technology Security Initiative, launched in 2024.

The paper also highlighted the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific, home to more than half of the global population and expected to generate over 50 per cent of global economic growth by 2050. It spans from south Asia to southeast Asia and includes countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

“The region is critical for British interests because it encompasses security risks affecting the UK, presents vital long-term economic opportunities, and is vulnerable to climate risks,” the paper added.

Regarding China, Chatham House acknowledged the UK’s limited ability to directly influence Beijing’s actions. Still, it argues that the UK can shape the surrounding region by working with allies to uphold shared norms and support the sovereignty and resilience of smaller nations. Beyond India and south Asia, the thinktank also pointed to the socalled “Indo-Pacific Four” – Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea – where the UK must protect its partnerships in the face of an increasingly unpredictable United States. In addition, it views southeast Asia as an area of “singular opportunity” for expanding UK trade and investment.

Chatham House called on the UK to build on the momentum by adopting a more ambitious, comprehensive, and regionally integrated Indo-Pacific strategy.