The Indian Ocean Region has long commanded the attention of the strategic community and remained the focus of traditional International Relations; security experts view it as one of the world's most important geo-strategic areas of the 21st century.
The Indian Ocean Region has long commanded the attention of the strategic community and remained the focus of traditional International Relations; security experts view it as one of the world’s most important geo-strategic areas of the 21st century.
And, for good reason: Its 31 littoral States are inhabited by almost 40 per cent of the world’s population. Therefore, even though it may be only the third largest ocean, the complexities of governing it are far greater than its size.
The Ocean provides transit routes for 70 per cent of the world’s trade in oil. It gives navigational access to 50 per cent of all international shipping. The Indian Ocean Region is home to 40 per cent of the world’s oil and gas reserves, 60 per cent of its uranium, 40 per cent of gold and 80 per cent of its diamonds.
With five natural choke points, it is inevitable that any discourse on the Indian Ocean is bound to be one on power, security and conflict. Home to the largest population of Muslims, Hindus, Christians and a multitude of other tribes, cultures and traditions, the Indian Ocean Region represents human diversity in myriad dimensions.
This diversity manifests itself not just in terms of lifestyles, but also in respect of economic well-being, of opportunities and access to resources, of entitlements and rights. This makes the Indian Ocean Region a conflux of all sorts of conflicts and contests. Some of these are violent and others could possibly turn violent in the future.
Even as the Indian Ocean Region witnesses rapidly shifting demographics, the pressures of population on resources and the global commons, simultaneously it sees rapidly transforming economies that could either be the cure or, equally become, the catalyst for contests.
It is here that lagging social indicators marked by huge swathes of underdevelopment exist confined within the borders of a mind boggling variety of governance models. These range from the largest democracy to some of the most despotic and brutal dictatorships. That the world’s largest numbers of failed or failing states are found here is, therefore no surprise. And with failed or failing States, the region has also become increasingly prone to terrorism, to piracy, drug trafficking and asymmetric warfare. No wonder that this region is also the largest destination for international defence (market) sales. It may be called the Indian Ocean, but that certainly does not make it India’s Ocean. Thus, it cannot and should not remain India’s responsibility alone or for that matter of the US or Australia or any other nation. The region is currently undergoing transformational changes that are likely to see a shift in the old order—of power re-distribution which hopefully will see accommodation alongside an optimal sharing of responsibility.
China would continue to have interests in this region and justifiably so. It has emerged as the largest stake holder in the region in terms of trade and economy and shall therefore continue to be engaged here. In the evolving world order, it should not be impossible to have a significant US, Indian and Chinese presence, alongside others, to make the governance of these waters truly multilateral.
India’s strategic transition and its emergence would compel it to play a significant role in the future, but that role need not be exclusive. It would be a pivotal role, one that could offer security and a strategic balance.
It was in this backdrop that Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi, and the Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies (APCSS), Honolulu, Hawaii, US jointly organised a workshop “Exploring India-US Cooperation: Safeguarding Prosperity in the Indian Ocean” in Mumbai from February 6-9, 2012. Participants at the workshop were unanimous on the view that an India-US partnership would be stronger because it would not be limited to securing the Indian Ocean, but to working toward securing the right to development and prosperity for the billions who live in this region. Symbolically significant was the venue of the workshop, The Oberoi Trident, Mumbai, target of one of the most audacious terrorist attacks on November 26, 2008.
Over three days, the workshop brought together diverse stakeholders and commentators from both countries. They engaged in a healthy debate on a number of complex issues, including security and defence, foreign affairs, trade, law enforcement, ocean governance, climate change and customs and immigration. The delegates shared a wide range of national perspectives and identified and prioritised opportunities in the maritime domain.
The invitation-only workshop was envisioned as the first in a series of focused discussions involving Indian and US experts on themes related to the maritime domain in the wider Asia-Pacific region.
Some of the key issues discussed at the workshop included:
Some of the key issues discussed at the workshop included:
- Opportunities and challenges in the Indian Ocean;
- Growing threat of piracy;
- Law enforcement challenges;
- Guarding territorial waters;
- The complexity of the coastal security problem;
- Shipping Industry concerns;
- Developmental assistance to littoral States;
- UNCLOS and Ocean governance;
- Essential Maritime Commons;
- Port management and shipping industry development;
- Environmental disasters and climate change challenges
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