Author: Ranjan Debnath
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/Bijmrd/04090003
Abstract: The Indian Ocean has emerged as one of the most strategically significant maritime spaces in contemporary international politics, particularly because of its central position in global trade, energy transportation, connectivity and regional security. Maritime transport carries more than 80% of goods traded worldwide by volume, making the security and stability of major maritime routes an important component of the international Political economy. The geopolitical significance of the Indian Ocean has increased further with the growing strategic presence of India and China and the expanding involvement of smaller South Asian States such as Sri-Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh and Pakistan. China’s economic and strategic engagement through the Belt and Road Initiatives, including infrastructure projects and maritime connectivity initiatives, has generated both economic opportunities and strategic concerns in the region. At the same time, India has sought to strengthen its maritime position through initiatives such as Security and Growth for All in the region (SAGAR), maritime domain awareness, naval diplomacy and regional maritime partnerships. Existing debated frequently interpret these developments primarily through the framework of India-China strategic rivalry. This article argues that such a framework, while important, does not fully capture the complexity of contemporary Indian Ocean politics. The study therefore examines the interaction between great-power competition, smaller-state strategic autonomy, traditional and non-traditional maritime-security challenges, and regional institutional cooperation. Using a qualitative research design and documentary analysis of official documents, international reports, scholarly literature and policy materials, the article finds that the emerging Indian Ocean order is characterised not simply by rivalry but by a combination of competition, cooperation, strategic hedging and Institutionalisation. It argues that sustainable regional stability requires strengthening cooperative maritime-security mechanism while preventing strategic competition from developing into confrontation.
Keywords: Indian Ocean, South Asia, Maritime Security, India-China Competition, Regional Power Politics.
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