Indo-Pacific Smart Megacity System

This book is an in-depth study of the Indo-Pacific region for effective interventions in the megacities system. First, based on several criteria, the region is identified as homogeneous country groupings of diversity, a multi-polar spatial system, and as program regions of QUAD and I2U2 for action programs and investment transcending many nations but mostly the ocean space of the Indo-Pacific, connecting all megacities sub-regions spatially and functionally. Then, the megacities with problems and prospects for economic integration are studied from the point of view of regional economics and international trade, and finally, the rural-urban interface with case studies of selected countries is presented. Prospects of systems of megacities and individual megacities for regional economies are designed. Existing interconnections through rail, air, and ocean of megacity systems, their capacity, performance, and potential are analyzed for emerging issues. International trade among the megacity systems/countries with emerging issues and barriers are presented. The mobility of money, goods, and services among the systems of megacities is analyzed. Rule-based diplomacy and other emerging options are discussed to sustain the above calls for a study of the Security of the Indo-Pacific region. Finally, the emerging architecture for megacity system governance is also presented.

Out of 21 megacities in the Indo-Pacific, an in-depth study of a few in India and Japan in the Indo-Pacific region for effective economic interventions in the megacities system at the city level was studied. The city has people and communities and smart people in selected locations within the geography of individual megacities and their communities for collective shared action. In smart community-oriented economic development, these smart community entrepreneurs can investigate urban planning imperatives for reducing the marginal cost of production and services near zero for price competitiveness. These communities can demonstrate Industry-4 innovations on a wide scale which is yet to spread in megacities. These smart communities can practice smart mobility for logistics support of smart economy industrial production and service provision. The emerging city-specific architecture cannot be the same for all megacities in the region, and there is no type design. It can vary based on locational advantage, the strength of gateway and country infrastructure, institutional development, and policy support such as participation in regional commitments. COVID-19 has affected most of the countries in the Indo-Pacific. With a contraction of GDP and a GDP growth rate negative, the number below the poverty level increased. Foreign Direct Investment is not forthcoming in any of these countries. Job creation becomes a priority in addition to public health concerns connected with COVID-19. This opens up the possibility of investigating low-cost options of intelligent economic development possibilities of smart communities in selected locations in the megacity who acts as entrepreneurs that reap the opportunities for knowledge-based products and services that meet the need of supply chains of Indo-Pacific region with a focus on megacity economy, income, and employment- essential and non-basic, multiplier, the current level of interconnectedness in the Indo-Pacific region, and infrastructure for megacity systems for integration of existing gaps.