As new challenges to the global order arise and economic ties become more fluid, Japan and other nations in the region have taken steps to strengthen their economic independence, as industrial resilience emerges as a significant priority. Innovation—be it through R&D incentives, multilateral cooperation, or strategic investment—has become all the more important for nations like Japan and likeminded countries in the Indo-Pacific to future-proof their growth industries.

For instance, the Council for Japan’s Growth Strategy launched last November under Prime Minister Takaichi builds on past innovation frameworks to help bolster key industries ranging from critical minerals to quantum computing. In parallel, the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation (APASTI) place these three items at the heart of the bloc’s development strategy. Major players like India have also stepped up their efforts to lead with initiatives such as the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) to coordinate government, academic, and private efforts.

These initiatives, and many others across the Indo-Pacific, represent a major advancement in each region’s pursuit of self-sustaining innovation. On the other hand, no country can truly do it alone in such an interconnected world. Regional partnerships remain vitally important even in the face of reshaped economic ties between major and middle powers and rising threats from actors seeking to forcibly alter the status quo. This begs certain questions: How can countries in various situations with a variety of backgrounds such as Japan, India, and other Indo-Pacific countries leverage their own strengths while pursuing cross-border collaboration? Furthermore, how can a combination of public and private action contribute not only to innovation, but also to roll-outs of such new developments in science and technology? And finally, how do countries best deploy both monetary and human capital on a cross-border scale without compromising their own industrial security?