This report examines a conspicuous gap in Indo-Pacific architecture: the absence of a formalized mechanism for technology cooperation among three of Asia’s leading democracies. Against the backdrop of intensifying US-China rivalry, erratic American trade policy under Trump 2.0, and China’s weaponization of economic interdependence, the report makes a compelling case for a purpose-built minilateral that leverages complementary national strengths — India’s digital economy and human capital, Japan’s precision manufacturing and standards diplomacy, and South Korea’s semiconductor and electronics leadership.

Drawing on middle-power theory and the logic of interest-driven minilateralism, the report argues that trilateral cooperation offers a viable middle path between great-power dependence and costly self-reliance. Anchored in concrete sectoral analysis and policy recommendations, it provides both a strategic rationale and a practical roadmap for institutionalizing what bilateral ties alone have failed to deliver.