The Indo-Pacific is where the tectonic shifts in the global order are most visible today. Geopolitical competition, economic realignment, and a new contest over digital and technological standards are converging in the region in ways that will shape the international order for decades. For Europe and Germany, the Indo-Pacific has become a central arena for foreign and security policy, economic statecraft, and digital governance.

The Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Indo-Pacific Taskforce was established in 2025 to strengthen the Stiftung’s analytical and strategic engagement with the region. We develop scenarios, conduct systematic mapping and analysis, and translate this work into policy options for decision-makers in government, parliaments, and European institutions.

Our work currently concentrates on four priority areas:

  • Resilient value chains — analyzing how semiconductors, critical raw materials, and digital infrastructure are being reshaped by geopolitical competition, and what this means for European economic security policy
  • Recalibrating EU and German relations with China — developing an interest-based approach to a relationship increasingly defined by systemic rivalry, overcapacity, and strategic dependencies
  • Rethinking partnerships with India, Japan, and ASEAN — moving beyond bilateral silos toward a more coherent regional strategy
  • Digital policy and technology cooperation — working on AI governance, data governance, and cybersecurity, and advancing democratic, rules-based digital standards in partnership with Indo-Pacific governments

We see us in two roles. As a fact finder, we produce evidence-based analysis, mapping, and scenario work that gives policymakers a clearer picture of a fast-moving region. As a bridge builder, we convene independent, trusted dialogue formats where European and Asian policymakers, officials, and experts can exchange views and build the relationships that durable policy cooperation requires.

This dual role reflects the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s broader mission and positions it as a substantive contributor to Europe’s strategic capacity to act in a region that will define the next decades of global order.