Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific?

Ray Powell & Jim Carouso

China

United States

Taiwan

Indo-Pacific

South China Sea

Philippines

ASEAN

Australia

Japan

North Korea

India

AUKUS

Donald Trump

Southeast Asia

Russia

Quad

National Security

Bowergroupasia

Vietnam

Ukraine

Chart the world's new strategic crossroads. Join co-hosts Ray Powell, a 35-year U.S. Air Force veteran and Director of the celebrated SeaLight maritime transparency project, and Jim Carouso, a senior U.S. diplomat and strategic advisor, for your essential weekly briefing on the Indo-Pacific. Drawing on decades of on-the-ground military and diplomatic experience, they deliver unparalleled insights ... more

66 ratings

Publishes	Twice weekly	Episodes	158	Founded	2 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	GovernmentNews CommentaryNews

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Latest Episodes

Why Should We Care if Vietnam is Swinging Toward China? | with Dr. Nguyễn Khắc Giang

Is Vietnam quietly drifting into China's orbit, and what does that mean for the United States and the future of Southeast Asia? Dr. Nguyễn Khắc Giang explains why Hanoi is hedging harder than ever because, as the Vietnamese saying goes, "when the buf... more

12 Jun 2026 • 50 min

Why Should We Care if a U.S.-Japan-Philippines Trilateral can Deter China? | with Lisa Curtis and Ryan Claffey

Japan sits just 68 miles from Taiwan, while the Philippines is even closer at 61. As one guest puts it, “You can’t invade Taiwan if you don’t control the northern Philippines.” That geography is exactly why three countries - the U.S., Japan, and the ... more

5 Jun 2026 • 51 min • Most popular

YouTube

Why Should We Care if Energy Dependence Undermines Southeast Asia’s Quest for Agency? | with Gita Wirjawan

Indonesia’s former trade minister Gita Wirjawan - Stanford visiting scholar and host of the Endgame podcast - joins Ray Powell and Jim Carouso to unpack what the closure of the Strait of Hormuz means for Southeast Asia and why it is more than just an... more

29 May 2026 • 51 min

YouTube

Why Should We Care if North Korea's "Little Rocket Man" is Firing Off Missiles Again? | with Ankit Panda

While U.S. attention has been consumed by wars in the Middle East and Europe, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un is expanding his nuclear arsenal, testing missiles from land and sea, and locking in a new strategic partnership with Russia. In this episode, hos... more

22 May 2026 • 51 min

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Lisa Curtis

Director of Indo-Pacific Security Program at CNAS

Center for a New American Security (CNAS)

Episode: Why Should We Care if a U.S.-Japan-Philippines Trilateral can Deter China? | with Lisa Curtis and Ryan Claffey

Ryan Claffey

Research Assistant in CNAS Indo-Pacific Security Program

CNAS

Episode: Why Should We Care if a U.S.-Japan-Philippines Trilateral can Deter China? | with Lisa Curtis and Ryan Claffey

Ankit Panda

Stanton Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; co-host of Asia Geopolitics

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Episode: Why Should We Care if North Korea's "Little Rocket Man" is Firing Off Missiles Again? | with Ankit Panda

MaryKay Carlson

Retired ambassador, former U.S. ambassador to the Philippines (2022–2026)

U.S. Foreign Service

Episode: Why Should We Care About the U.S.-Philippine Alliance? with AMB MaryKay Carlson

Eyck Freymann

Hoover Fellow at Stanford University; non-resident Fellow at US Naval War Colleges, China Maritime Studies Institute

Stanford University / US Naval War Colleges

Episode: Why Should We Care About How to Prevent a War over Taiwan? | with Dr. Eyck Freymann

Michael Sobolik

Senior fellow at the Hudson Institute; author of Countering China's Great Game (2024)

Hudson Institute

Episode: Why Should We Care About the Trump–Xi Summit? | with Michael Sobolik

Regine Cabato

Journalist; PCIJ contributor and former Washington Post correspondent in Manila

Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism; Washington Post

Episode: Why Should We Care if Beijing’s Propaganda is Attacking Journalists who Report Critically on China? | with Regine Cabato

Sujeev Shakya

Chair of the Nepal Economic Forum; senior advisor for Nepal and Bhutan for BowerGroupAsia

BowerGroupAsia

Episode: Why Should We Care About Nepal? | Gen Z Revolution, India-China Rivalry & the Iran War’s Impact on South Asia | with BGA's Sujeev Shakya

Sal Mercogliano

Maritime historian, Campbell University

Campbell University; What's Going On with Shipping (YouTube)

Episode: Why Should We Care About the World’s Blocked Oil Artery? | with Sal Mercogliano

Hosts

Ray Powell

Host of the show, former military officer; SeaLight maritime transparency project (Director); IEJ Media / Indo-Pacific podcast brand

Jim Carouso

Co-host, Senior Diplomat; former U.S. diplomat; strategic advisor; affiliated with BowerGroupAsia

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 66 ratings

Thanks
Happy to find your podcast. After a while it is exactly what I was looking for. Loved it. Sound quality needs improvement. Sections are not numbered. Requires some technical attention.
Apple Podcasts
5
Ghadeernabi
Spain2 years ago
Amazing expertise
I love that each episode gets straight to the heart of an issue. Amazing depth of expertise between the hosts and guests.
Apple Podcasts
5
Emile123
United States2 years ago
Whether you are a foreign policy wonk or know nothing about the subject, this podcast will help you get smarter on the Indo-Pacific.
Audible
5
Angelina and David
United States2 years ago
The hosts are fantastic and help explain key issues in the Indo-Pacific and why people should care.
Whether you are a foreign policy wonk or know nothing about the subject, this podcast will help you get smarter on the Indo-Pacific.
Audible
5
Angelina and David
United States2 years ago
This is the Indo-Pacific podcast I’ve been looking forever for
Must listen - Ray & Jim are living legends
Apple Podcasts
5
Malachy J
United States2 years ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests and hosts mix deep experience with clear, actionable insights.

Listeners praise the breadth of topics across geopolitics, economics, and security.

Experts deliver depth with practical context for policy and business decisions.

Some reviews note room for improvement in production quality and segment structuring.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#140	Australia/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts	#9	Singapore/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts	#25	India/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts	#67	Philippines/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts	#103	Singapore/News
Apple Podcasts	#161	Denmark/News/News Commentary

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why Should We Care if Energy Dependence Undermines Southeast Asia’s Quest for Agency? | with Gita Wirjawan

Q: Gita, why should we care if energy dependence is undermining Southeast Asia's quest for agency?

Because energy imports and volatile oil prices tighten fiscal space, force subsidies, and delay diversification, which in turn limits policy autonomy and the ability to pursue an independent security and economic strategy.

Why Should We Care About the Trump–Xi Summit? | with Michael Sobolik

Q: How should Trump approach Taiwan in the summit context, given the leverage over Xi and the domestic imperatives?

The guest suggests Trump likely has significant leverage on Taiwan but cautions that any concessions should be weighed against U.S. national security interests and the importance of maintaining credible deterrence and allied support; the expectation is for careful signaling rather than large, irreversible concessions.

Why Should We Care About the Trump–Xi Summit? | with Michael Sobolik

Q: What's different about this trip than the last one, and why should our audience care?

Sobolik notes that while the underlying aim of pursuing a trade deal remains, the context has shifted due to intensified supply-chain awareness, China's growing power, and ongoing Middle East concerns that limit the leverage available to the U.S. He also points to the potential but uncertain deliverables like a Board of Trade and the difficulty of achieving major concessions.

Why Should We Care About Nepal? | Gen Z Revolution, India-China Rivalry & the Iran War’s Impact on South Asia | with BGA's Sujeev Shakya

Q: What would you tell Nepal's new prime minister for the first 100 days?

Maintain focus and strengthen internal and external communication to manage noise on social platforms; ensure clear messaging about reforms, open channels with business and media, and monitor governance performance to achieve a natural convergence of outcomes.

Why Should We Care About Nepal? | Gen Z Revolution, India-China Rivalry & the Iran War’s Impact on South Asia | with BGA's Sujeev Shakya

Q: So what is he planning to do? What is his platform besides ending corruption?

The platform centers on public service delivery: faster issuance of passports, citizenship, driving licenses, and creating an environment where meritocracy replaces nepotism; also to push transparent procurement and reduce petty corruption through digitalized processes and home delivery of services.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program consistently centers on Indo-Pacific geopolitics, with deep dives into U.S.–China competition, alliance politics, and regional flashpoints such as the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. Episodes frequently feature senior diplomats, military officers, policy researchers, and journalists who illuminate strategic dynamics, economic statecraft, and security cooperation across ASEAN, AUKUS, and the broader Quad. A standout element is the blend of practitioner insight and high-level analysis from guests with real-world experience, making complex regional issues more approachable for policy professionals, business leaders, and scholars alike.

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1. ChinaPower
2. The Asia Chessboard
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5. The Foreign Affairs Interview

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this podcast launched 2 years ago and published 158 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Lisa Curtis
2. Ryan Claffey
3. Ankit Panda
4. MaryKay Carlson
5. Eyck Freymann
6. Michael Sobolik
7. Regine Cabato
8. Sujeev Shakya

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