German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius used an eight-day Indo-Pacific trip to press a simple argument: the world still needs a rules-based international order, and that order requires active defense by like-minded states.
Pistorius’ message resonated in Tokyo, Singapore and Canberra, where officials repeatedly emphasized the value of international law, predictable norms and the institutions that have underpinned global cooperation for decades. In Australia, Defense Minister Richard Marles said Canberra and Berlin share a firm respect for the rule of law at home and abroad and placed a high premium on a stable, rules-based system.
A central theme of the tour was the interdependence of Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Pistorius suggested Germany’s posture is shifting: long reliant on U.S. security guarantees, it now faces changing transatlantic dynamics and growing calls to assume more responsibility. He argued middle powers can make a meaningful difference when they align: acting together, they can be “at least as strong” as the great powers in defending common interests.
At the same time Pistorius acknowledged limits: “An international order needs the superpowers,” he said, insisting that established and aspiring great powers must sit at the table and help shape any durable system.
He also urged leaders to resist politics driven by fear, warning that those who focus only on opponents are manipulated and that “decisions based on fear are always wrong.”
Pistorius used the trip to advance the idea of a coalition of middle powers that could include Japan, Singapore, Australia and Germany, while reaching out to countries in the Global South. He noted emerging powers want more influence and that their perspectives should be part of any effort to reshape international arrangements. Countries such as Indonesia, South Africa and Turkey have long called for a more inclusive order.
The visit combined diplomacy with tangible defense cooperation. Pistorius inspected Australia’s MQ‑28 “Ghost Bat” drone and took part in trials of the Rheinmetall Boxer armored vehicle alongside Australian counterparts — gestures that signal Germany’s interest in modernizing capabilities and deepening industrial ties.
But the proposal faces obstacles. Persuading larger, more independent Global South actors to join a Western-aligned middle‑power network will be difficult. India’s caution about external prescriptions, its historical sensitivity to influence, and longstanding ties with Russia make alignment uncertain. A recent study by the German Institute for International and Security Affairs notes India seeks to be a distinct pole within a multipolar order rather than simply follow Western initiatives.
Pistorius described the current international landscape as eroding and in need of reform. He labeled Russia “aggressive and revisionist” and warned about China’s growing influence and assertiveness, urging a rebalancing of international institutions so they better reflect today’s realities — a shift that, he said, requires buy‑in from major powers.
He outlined a minimum basis for a middle‑power coalition — adherence to the UN Charter, international law and freedom of the seas — and suggested bringing in like‑minded partners such as Japan, Singapore and Australia is attainable, while broadening membership to larger Global South actors will be harder.
Pistorius has been building toward this vision since visits to India and Indonesia in 2023. How far countries such as India will move toward a German‑led reshaping of the rules‑based order remains unclear.
Originally translated from German.