Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused Western powers, particularly the United States, of using the "Indo-Pacific" framework to sow discord between India and China, while undermining ASEAN’s role in regional affairs. Speaking at the “Culture without Borders” diplomatic club on May 15, 2025, Lavrov described the shift from "Asia-Pacific" to "Indo-Pacific" as a deliberate move to promote an anti-China agenda, aiming to pit “great friends and neighbors” India and China against each other. He referenced Russian President Vladimir Putin’s characterization of this as a “divide and conquer” strategy.

Lavrov argued that the Indo-Pacific concept, championed by the U.S., Japan, Australia, and the Quad, seeks to reconfigure regional structures, sidelining ASEAN’s consensus-driven model. ASEAN, comprising Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, has historically fostered economic and security cooperation. Lavrov criticized the West for luring some ASEAN members into “confrontational formats” like troikas and quartets, eroding the bloc’s unifying role that has served the region for decades.

He further proposed a continent-wide security mechanism for Eurasia, noting that unlike Africa’s African Union or Latin America’s CELAC, Eurasia lacks a unifying framework despite its diverse civilizations. Lavrov’s call aligns with Russia’s vision of harmonizing major powers’ interests, countering Western dominance.

This critique resonates with broader geopolitical tensions. The U.S.’s Indo-Pacific strategy, formalized in 2017, emphasizes a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative, elevating India’s role via the Quad. India’s space advancements, like the EOS-09 satellite launch, and digital-first strategies, as seen in Operation Sindoor, reflect its growing autonomy, yet its cautious engagement with China, post-2024 border agreements, highlights the delicate balance. China, allied with Pakistan and Russia, views the Indo-Pacific as containment, driving its tech self-reliance, as seen in Huawei’s chip expansions. Lavrov’s remarks underscore the risk of escalating India-China rivalry, complicating ASEAN’s neutrality and regional stability.