Reimagining the Indo-Pacific: Using an Inclusive Lens Policy Brief 4: Towards Gender Intentional Trade

The Federal Foreign Office of Germany and Kubernein Initiative have taken the joint initiative to consolidate past and current perspectives and understand the extent of gender mainstreaming in the Indo-Pacific region, with a focus on climate, trade and economic security, human and non-traditional security. We consider the centrality of human security in the Indo-Pacific and aim to explore ways forward for shaping more inclusive policies within the region, as well as learn from best practices that may be particularly relevant to Indo-German engagement. This policy brief is part of a series of publications under Kubernein Initiative and the Federal Foreign Office’s joint project. Our perspective is rooted in Germany’s ‘Feminist Foreign Policy’ vision, and Kubernein Initiative’s work on inclusive foreign policy from an Indian context.

In this policy brief, we look at gender intentional trade and the significance of inclusive trade for the Indo-Pacific. As the Indo-Pacific region navigates the interplay of geopolitics and trade, fostering inclusivity is crucial. We explore gender and inclusion within trade in the Indo-Pacific, looking at trade policies, free trade agreements, and trade facilitation. Since trade and economic cooperation are key priority areas for India and Germany, we highlight Avenues for Indo-German Cooperation. Our approach seeks to deepen the understanding of the overlap between gender, trade, and foreign policy, and highlight the need for adopting a more gender intentional approach for shaping more inclusive policies across the board.