A Study On The Evolutionary Logic Of India’s Indo-Pacific Diplomacy From The Perspective Of Role Theory

The concept of "Indo-Pacific" as a geographical term originated in the 1930 s,but it did not enter the international political arena until the early 21st century,gradually evolving into a geopolitical concept.With the increasing attention paid by various countries to the Indo-Pacific region and the implementation of policies towards the region,especially the United States’ "Indo-Pacific strategy," Indo-Pacific has become a hot topic in academic circles.India’s "Indo-Pacific" diplomacy also originated from the concept of "Indo-Pacific." After more than a decade of development,it has been in a constant state of change.However,research on the different phases of India’s "Indo-Pacific" diplomacy is relatively insufficient,and the reasons for its changes are not fully explored.Even if there are some studies that explain its changes,they are scattered and incomplete.Therefore,this article uses role theory in international relations to construct an analytical framework and provides a more comprehensive explanation."Role theory"plays a crucial role in analyzing the formulation and implementation of a country’s foreign policy in the paradigm of international relations theory.In the research paradigm of role theory,the role positioning of a country regarding its status and role in the international system is the foundation.Based on the role positioning,the role identity is formed through domestic political factors,and the role expectation is formed through international political factors.The role identity and role expectation jointly shape the role behavior.This article categorizes the evolution of India’s "Indo-Pacific" diplomacy into four phases:initial acceptance,active implementation,regrouping and reconstruction,and proactive deepening.Then,based on the analytical framework generated by role theory,India’s role positioning in "Indo-Pacific" diplomacy is a great power and an Asia-Pacific identity.At the domestic political level,the main factors affecting India’s role identity in"Indo-Pacific" diplomacy are decision-makers,including leaders,central bureaucrats,and ruling parties.At the international political level,the main factors affecting India’s role expectation in "Indo-Pacific" diplomacy are the resource investment of the United States and Japan in the "Indo-Pacific strategy" and the evolution of the Indo-Pacific cooperation mechanism,Sino-US relations,and changes in India’s relations with China and the United States.Then,this article analyzes the reasons for the changes in India’s "Indo-Pacific"diplomacy in each phase.Finally,based on the research on role theory and India’s"Indo-Pacific" diplomacy,this article predicts the trend and proposes China’s response."...