Context: The project ‘Enhancing Security Cooperation in and with Asia and the Indo-Pacific (ESIWA+)’ is a response to the growing geopolitical importance of the Indo-Pacific and the need for the EU to engage more actively with regional and global security issues.
Building on the first phase of ESIWA (2020–2024), the project strengthens the EU's role as a credible security partner based on the rule of law in a region characterised by strategic competition, maritime tensions and complex security challenges.
- Deepening political dialogue on political, security and defence issues with Indo-Pacific partners and regional organisations.
- Promoting practical cooperation to jointly address common security threats such as maritime security, cyber threats, counter-terrorism and crisis management/hybrid threats.
- Promoting the visibility of the EU as a principled and reliable security actor in line with the United Nations Charter and international law.
Approach: The project brings together EU institutions, EU Member States and Asian partners. ESIWA+ combines political engagement with concrete measures and knowledge sharing. Its main activities include supporting high-level political dialogues, organising joint exercises and sharing expertise. ESIWA+ thereby improves mutual understanding and established trust between the EU and the Indo-Pacific region. It helps to ensure that current security challenges can be tackled jointly.
ESIWA+ strengthens the EU's role as a security actor in the region, thereby enhancing its influence. On behalf of the EU and the German Federal Foreign Office, ESIWA+ thus contributes to a more stable, inclusive and rules-based security architecture in the Indo-Pacific region.