US Army Pacific convenes regional partners to bolster collective security

Auckland, New Zealand — Army leaders from more than 25 nations convened for the 50th Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar, hosted by the New Zealand Army and U.S. Army Pacific, to deepen cooperation on security cooperation, military deterrence, and regional stability under the theme “The Sum is Greater Than the Parts: Security and Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.”

“Across this region, land forces are the backbone of deterrence, security cooperation, and the connective tissue that binds nations together,” Lt. Gen. Joel Vowell, deputy commander, U.S. Army Pacific, told reporters during a media roundtable. “When our armies train, communicate, and plan collectively, we generate a deterrence effect that is far stronger than any individual nation could achieve alone. Our discussions this week reinforce that truth,” said Vowell.

New Zealand last co-hosted the event in 2013, and participants highlighted the shifting security landscape and the need for more innovative approaches across government and military institutions. “Peace remains important, however in the past decade our region has responded to major natural disasters, a global pandemic, and heinous terrorist actions,” said Brig. Gen. Hamish Gibbons, New Zealand’s deputy chief of NZ Army. “Each event required integrated, whole-of-government responses and highlighted the adaptability and effectiveness of land forces.”

U.S. officials emphasized the importance of unity amid rising regional risk. Vowell told attendees, “There are real risks in this region. We won’t be given every tool and support that we all asked for, and our potential adversaries are working on how best to keep us apart. To dilute our contributions, to stay our goals of interoperability, that is their success-keeping us fragmented. Don’t let it happen.”

Over five decades, the seminar has focused on building mutual understanding through open dialogue and face-to-face engagement, with plenary sessions and working groups addressing peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, leader development, and military deterrence. Organizers said the format is designed to encourage frank discussions that strengthen the Indo-Pacific landpower network and reinforce a free and open region. Reflecting on takeaways from panels and syndicates, Gibbons noted the shared emphasis on partnership and interoperability. “The synergy of our collective strength derives from our partnerships, our interoperability, and our shared commitment to regional stability.”

Participation has grown from nine nations at the inaugural meeting in Honolulu in 1977 to a high of 31 in Seoul in 2017. The gathering also highlighted the scope and complexity of the Indo-Pacific, a region that spans more than half the globe’s surface, includes six of the world’s most populous countries, and encompasses more than 3,000 languages and dialects. Many nations lie along the “Ring of Fire,” contending with earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, and floods, alongside security challenges such as skirmishes, drug trafficking, and terrorism. Seven of the world’s 10 largest armies are in the region, where border disputes and sovereignty concerns frequently dominate headlines.

Trust-building remained a central theme. “By listening and getting to know each other, we build trust and confidence now and not at crisis. It’s impossible to build trust once you’ve crossed that line of departure, it’s hard,” said Vowell. “Better to have known each other, work with each other, habituate relationships, so it’s easier to pick up the phone working together, side by side, to solve problems.”

As is tradition, the conference concluded with the handover of the IPAMS flag to the next host. The 51st edition will be held in Singapore, alongside the bi-annual Indo-Pacific Army Chiefs Conference and Senior Enlisted Leaders Forum.