Navigating the Digital Domain in the Indo-Pacific: Regional Policy Dynamics in Emerging Technologies

Digital technologies have emerged as a critical theater for both cooperation and conflict in world affairs. This panel explores both sides of this dynamic and their implications for the Indo-Pacific. Heightened geopolitical competition has renewed fears over cyber conflict and how emerging technologies may be weaponized amid an inter-state disputes. As a result, national governments have struggled to defend the digital domain and secure their national networks from outside interference. Yet even as cyber insecurity stokes fears of conflict, technology is also providing new pathways for partnerships and collaborations. Supply chains, infrastructure development, and information sharing are all critical facets of collaboration that undergird the interconnectivity of the digital age. Such endeavors have spurred cooperation between historic rivals and driven regional engagement initiatives. By bringing together scholars from a range of professional, regional, and scholarly backgrounds, we offer a sweeping exploration of the techno-political realities of the Indo-Pacific. This regional focus offers unique insights and perspectives that are distinct from the prevailing Atlanticist narratives in emerging technologies. Presentations will examine issues such as cybersecurity as an alliance issue, international cooperation in emerging technology, policy diffusion, and collaboration in digital infrastructure.