In this report, Tanvi Kulkarni, Frank O’Donnell, Shatabhisha Shetty, and Angela Woodward draw conclusions from the findings of a year-long APLN-VERTIC joint project on Maritime Incidents and Escalation in the Asia-Pacific. The findings are based on regional dialogues and consultations with senior experts from across the region, as well as three scoping papers produced by maritime security experts from the Asia-Pacific.
Executive Summary
The maritime regions of the Asia-Pacific – South Asia, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and the South Pacific – face complex dynamics and growing military competition between naval powers. Countries are modernising and expanding their naval capabilities, conducting more frequent multinational exercises, and making significant strides in naval power projection from the Western Pacific and South China Sea to the Indian Ocean. The past decade has witnessed a growth in encounters at sea and in the airspace above East and Southeast Asia’s contested waters. As multiple maritime forces come into closer contact with one another, there is a growing risk of incidents and conflict escalation.
