In recent decades, the concept of the “Indo-Pacific” has emerged as a new framework for analyzing power relations in East and South Asia, replacing the earlier notion of the “Asia–Pacific.” This concept reflects a shift from economic regionalism toward a maritime-security architecture shaped by geoeconomic interactions and great-power competition. The aim of this study is to analyze the geoeconomy of the Indo-Pacific in terms of the distribution of economic power, human development indicators, foreign investment flows, and environmental sustainability. The research employs a descriptive-analytical method with secondary quantitative data derived from the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and ESCAP reports, with a statistical population consisting of six key countries in the eastern and western Indo-Pacific.



The findings indicate that the developmental gap between the eastern and western sub-regions is a major factor in shaping the emerging multipolar structure and the new maritime security order. Furthermore, the analyses reveal that the eastern Indo-Pacific—characterized by developmental states and advanced industrial policy—serves as the main engine of the global maritime economy, while the western part of the region, despite its significant geostrategic potential, suffers from financial instability, poverty, and climate vulnerability. For Iran, the results of this research highlight that understanding this architecture and linking it to the development of Chabahar Port, strengthening cooperation with India, and engaging in maritime security forums is not only a defensive necessity but also a prerequisite for an effective geoeconomic presence in the emerging regional order.