Summary

Just days before the G7 Hiroshima Summit, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) hosted a Munich Leaders Meeting (MLM) with the kind support of the Japanese government. For the first time, an MLM was held in Tokyo, Japan. The MSC brought together 60 senior decision-makers and experts, including government officials, think tankers, and journalists, to discuss security issues in the Indo-Pacific region.

Like Europe, the Indo-Pacific faces challenges from revisionist actors with manifest ambitions to change the status quo. This has led to a strategic awakening, not only for countries within the region, who have strengthened their security postures and sought new security relationships. Additionally, states worldwide have presented national Indo-Pacific strategies or guidelines in the last years and months, highlighting the importance of the region.

At the MLM, discussions focused on three key aspects: First, participants agreed that security in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic regions cannot be addressed separately as the two theatres are increasingly connected. This led to discussions about how to strengthen deterrence in the Indo-Pacific. Second, participants agreed that the international order needs to become more attractive and appealing to non-Western countries. Discussions in this regard revolved around the motivations of so-called “fence-sitting” countries who wish to stay out of great power competition. Participants thought about how to better cater to the needs of these countries, but also voiced expectations towards them. Third, participants agreed that the proponents of the current order need to become better at forging a common, positive narrative that highlights its benefits and feels inclusive to those “on the fence” or even on the other side.