Mishall RehmanNearly half a billion dollars will be invested into the newly announced Indo-Pacific Strategy to bolster Canada’s presence in the region and, in turn, contribute to global peace and security.
The new Indo-Pacific strategy consists of four key components, as Defence Minister Anita Anand outlined on November 27, 2023.
“As the Indo-Pacific becomes more and more central to global security, Canada must and will be a reliable, committed partner to the region,” said Anand.
As a Pacific nation itself, Canada has much to offer the region while recognizing that the area’s stability is crucial to Canada, stated Anand.
Four Initiatives
The four initiatives focus largely on increasing the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
“These four defence initiatives taken together will comprise a meaningful Canadian contribution to a safer and more peaceful Indo-Pacific region,” stated the Defence Minister.
The four initiatives include:
- Increasing the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) presence in the region, increasing the overall CAF participation in the region.
- Launching a new Canadian-led military capacity-building program.
- Supporting cyber security.
Increase CAF Presence in the Region
Currently, the RCN deploys two frigates annually to the region under Operation PROJECTION. An investment of $369.4 million will enable the RCN to maintain and increase its presence. An additional frigate will deploy to the region now, sailing from Halifax to boost Canadian presence, especially in the Indian Ocean.
An investment of $48.7 million will ensure CAF participation in the region increases. Right now, CAF participation still remains primarily naval. The goal under the new strategy is to ensure that CAF aviators and soldiers are able to deploy to the region and increase cooperation with partner militaries.
CAF Mentorship to Partner-Nations
Under the new Canadian-led military capacity-building program, partner nations in the Indo-Pacific region will have the opportunity to learn from CAF mentorship. An investment of $68.2 million will create tailored and relevant training that meets the needs of regional partners that focus on interoperability and sustainability, according to Anand.
A particular focus will be on Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam. In addition, Canada will lead training initiatives focusing on women in peace and security, noted Anand.
Cybersecurity
“Cybersecurity is at the core of a modern defence portfolio,” stated Anand during her press conference on Sunday.
Considering the importance of cybersecurity, Canada intends to launch new initiatives to support regional military partners seeking to bolster their cybersecurity capabilities. For example, an investment of $30 million will support the national cryptologic agency under the Communications Security Establishment. The goal is to support partner nations in the region to detect and respond to cyber threats in a more effective manner.
A Global Shift
It’s no secret that in recent years, certain countries in the Indo-Pacific region have made economic and political strides.
“Stability in the Indo-Pacific is essential to global security because the region is at the centre of a global shift,” noted Anand.
In her virtual press conference, Anand noted how Canada has strong ties to emerging nations, including India. Not only does Canada have people-to-people relations with India, considering the large number of ex-pats living in the country, but there are also economic opportunities with the country.
Additionally, Anand also highlighted Canada’s relationship with China.
“We will challenge China when we ought to, and we will cooperate when we must. We will work closely with our allies and partners to help maintain peace, security and stability in the region,” commented Anand.
