Maritime Order in Asia: Australia and the Indo-Pacific

Contextual Background

On March 31, 2026, the Indo-Pacific Research Centre (IPRC) and the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP) co-organised a special online discussion featuring Professor  Bec Strating on the theme of ‘Maritime Order in Asia: Australia and the Indo-Pacific’.

This report summarizes Professor Bec Strating’s presentation, which explored Australia’s maritime security agenda. The discussion examined how Australia’s identity as an ocean-dependent state shapes its security outlook across the Indian, Pacific, and Southern Oceans. It further explored Australia’s construction and promotion of the Indo-Pacific as a strategic maritime region in the era of shifting global power dynamics. In particular, the discussion focused on the context of intensifying the U.S.-China competition, uncertainty in traditional alliances, and the growing importance of middle powers’ engagement. Prof. Strating’s presentation outlined Australia’s longstanding commitment to supporting maritime order and international legal frameworks, such as UNCLOS. Lastly, she highlighted Australia’s interests in its engagement with regional marine sub-areas, such as the South China Sea, the South Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and in the Western Pacific, particularly the East China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, each of which presents distinct political and security dynamics.

Key Takeaway 1: Australia’s identity as a maritime nation

Australia’s security must be understood through its identity as a maritime nation. Australia is inherently shaped by its geography, being an Indo-Pacific country connected through the Indian, Pacific, and Southern Oceans, effectively making it a three-ocean state. It possesses one of the world’s largest Exclusive Economic Zones, which is around 8 million square kilometers. Eighty-five percent of Australia’s population lives in the coastal areas.

Australia also encompasses around 8,000 islands and maintains a search and rescue (SAR) zone covering approximately 53 million square kilometers, highlighting its extensive maritime responsibilities. As the fifth largest maritime trading nation in the world, 98% of its goods come by sea. With a blue economy valued at over $80 billion, Australia’s economic prosperity and national resilience are deeply tied to secure sea lines of communication and maritime choke points, which play a critical role in shaping both its national and economic security. However, despite this vast maritime domain, Australia has often been described as “sea blind,” reflecting a disconnect between its dependence on the ocean and its broader strategic awareness of it.