Description

Bangladesh’s increasing geopolitical importance in the Indo-Pacific requires a revised smart power strategy that properly integrates its soft and hard power assets. While the country has established itself as a major contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, utilised economic diplomacy to secure infrastructural investments, and gained recognition in climate diplomacy, these initiatives continue to be dispersed and reactive rather than part of a cohesive grand regional and global strategy. This paper critically evaluates Bangladesh’s existing smart power strategies, comparing them to the best international practices. It also identifies key limitations of the prevalent strategies, such as excessive reliance on peacekeeping reimbursements, reactive rather than proactive economic diplomacy, and a lack of climate leadership in its geopolitical outreach. Based on Spykman’s Rimland Theory, Mackinder’s Heartland Theory, Wendt’s Constructivism, and Nye’s Smart Power Framework of Analysis, the study evaluates how Bangladesh’s geographical position and balanced application of hard and soft power might shape its regional influence. Using comparative case studies and current geopolitical trends, the paper contends that Bangladesh must institutionalise its smart power strategy while integrating its economic and security policies into a strategic Indo-Pacific vision. Bangladesh needs to diversify its partnerships in order to reduce external dependencies. The study suggests a systematic policy framework to integrate Bangladesh’s peacekeeping efforts, economic diplomacy, and climate leadership into a larger Indo-Pacific strategy, which will assure the country’s long-term resilience and geopolitical agency within the Indo-Pacific.

Keywords: Indo-Pacific, Geopolitics, Smart Power, Soft Power, Peace Keeping Diplomacy, Geopolitical Influence, Regional Security, Strategic Indo-Pacific vision.