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The Indo-Pacific Development Centre

The Indo-Pacific Development Centre (IPDC) is a policy research centre at the Lowy Institute dedicated to generating fresh policy insights and ideas on the most pressing economic development issues in the Indo-Pacific region. The IPDC focuses on key challenges facing emerging and developing economies in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and South Asia as well as the role of more advanced Indo-Pacific economies such as Australia, the United States, Japan, China, and others in helping shape the future economic development of the region.

The work of the IPDC is organised around six key themes:

  • Post-Covid recovery, growth and development
  • Climate finance and decarbonising development
  • Technology and the digital economy
  • Globalisation and regional integration
  • The future of international development finance
  • Geoeconomics and the intersection of development and security

As part of its development finance pillar, the IPDC houses the Lowy Institute’s Pacific Aid Map, a digital interactive that tracks all official development finance flows to the Pacific region.

The IPDC has been established with the support of multi-year funding from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Featured projects

Southeast Asia Aid Map
Southeast Asia Aid Map
New interactive tracking more than 100,000 development projects, the most comprehensive assessment of development flows in Southeast Asia ever undertaken.
Pacific Aid Map 2022
Pacific Aid Map 2022
Updated research shows the unprecedented disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Pacific Islands region caused upheaval in how international donors provide aid.
Experts
Latest publications
News and media
Lowy Institute Lead Economist; Director, Indo-Pacific Development Centre
Deputy Director, Indo-Pacific Development Centre
Research Associate, Indo-Pacific Development Centre
Research Associate, Pacific Aid Map
Research Associate, Indo-Pacific Development Centre
Research Fellow, Indo-Pacific Development Centre
Research Fellow, Indo-Pacific Development Centre
Research Fellow, Indo-Pacific Development Centre
Research Associate, Southeast Asia Aid Map
Research Associate, Indo-Pacific Development Centre
South-South Solidarity in Southeast Asia
Commentary
South-South Solidarity in Southeast Asia
Originally published in Fulcrum
The World Bank’s IDA Is a Vital Lifeline for Pacific Islands and Other Small States
Commentary
The World Bank’s IDA Is a Vital Lifeline for Pacific Islands and Other Small States
Originally published on the Center for Global Development
A climate loss and damage fund that works
Policy Briefs
A climate loss and damage fund that works
A new United Nations climate instrument to support the most vulnerable countries will make its mark if it follows six key recommendations. 
Australia should make a strategic investment in the World Bank
Australia should make a strategic investment in the World Bank
Australia must soon decide how much it will contribute to the World Bank’s financing arm for the poorest and most vulnerable developing countries – known as the International…
A glimpse into Indonesia's nickel policy
A glimpse into Indonesia's nickel policy
Since 2020, Indonesia has tried to transform itself from an exporter of nickel into a key player in the global nickel value chain by banning exports of the raw material in an…
The tricky delivery of aid and access in conflicts and crises
The tricky delivery of aid and access in conflicts and crises
The United States has begun to dismantle a pier that was built only months ago to deliver humanitarian emergency aid from the coast of the Gaza strip. Announced by US President…
Digitising the social safety net: Lessons from Indonesia
Analyses
Digitising the social safety net: Lessons from Indonesia
Leapfrogging past the analogue delivery of social assistance is possible. Policy focus and careful design are the keys to success.
Australia can't miss chance to strengthen south-east Asia ties
Commentary
Australia can't miss chance to strengthen south-east Asia ties
Originally published in The Canberra Times
Indonesia's EV drive faces geopolitical headwinds
Commentary
Indonesia's EV drive faces geopolitical headwinds
Originally published on Nikkei Asia
Pacific Islands News Association
17 April 2024
Khmer Times
24 November 2023
Papua New Guinea Post-Courier
15 November 2023
The Fiji Times
1 November 2023