It is a privilege to introduce the reader to this book, as I believe that it will make a signi?cant contribution to, given the dif?culties in the knowledge of the Indian Ocean, developing cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. There have been numerous failed efforts at regional cooperation in different fora in the Indian Ocean. As a result of the land-based orientation of the people in the region, the importance for countries to develop the power to govern the sea has largely been ignored. The maritime approach taken by Manoj Gupta to the Indian Ocean as a region in international relations offers a timely and critical assessment of the potential for regional cooperation and ocean governance. The political leadership in the region can no longer ignore the need for coop- ation in maritime affairs in the Indian Ocean. This book enriches the literature on Indian Ocean issues as it argues convincingly that the security of nations, economic well-being of the people and health of the Indian Ocean cannot be divested from one another. All are fundamentally dependant on the ability of the countries in the region to individually and collectively exert the power to govern the sea.

The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is one of the most areas of the world in human terms. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the subregions and countries in the IOR, drawing heavily on a new country risk assessment model developed by Abdullah Toukan, a senior associate with the Burke Chair at CSIS. It provides detailed graphs, tables, and maps covering the IOR as a whole, each major subregion, and each of the thirty-two countries in the region as well as the impact of U.S. and Chinese military forces.

This edited book is the outcome of the International Conference on ‘China in Indian Ocean Region’, held on 13th–14th November 2014, organized by UGC Centre for Indian Ocean Studies, Osmania University, Hyderabad. Indian Ocean, third largest ocean in the world surpasses the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as the world’s largest and most strategically significant trade corridor. Indian Ocean Region (IOR) which is surrounded by Africa, Asia and Australia serves as a maritime highway, linking trans-continental human and economic relationships. Being the world’s most populated region, one third of the world’s bulk cargo and around two thirds of world’s oil ship tankers pass through it. China’s interest in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) can be traced back to the early 1960s. Ever since Beijing has been increasingly deepening its presence in the IOR for a variety of reasons—oil, trade, security, etc., over 30 per cent of China’s seaborne trade worth about US $300 billion transits across IOR. Sharing a quarter of the world’s population, China faces ever increasing demand for energy. China has little choice but to look beyond its borders for its energy needs. About 77 per cent of its oil imports are sourced from West Asia and Africa and these are transported through the Indian Ocean. Thus China’s dependence on the Indian Ocean continues to grow for energy imports from the Gulf, to import resources from Africa and trade with Europe. With China steadily spreading its footprints in the Indian Ocean Region with increasing military presence and with the rapidly growing Navy being equipped with warships, destroyers and nuclear submarines, this book analyses in depth growing Chinese influence in Indian Ocean Region (IOR), Geopolitical interests of China, Security and Economic implication for India. This volume will be of considerable interest to the students and scholars of international relations in the contemporary situation.

Indian Ocean, third largest Ocean in the world surpasses the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Being world’s most populated Region, one-third of the world’s bulk cargo and two-thirds of world’s oil ship tankers passes through the Indian Ocean. China’s interests in the Indian Ocean Region can be traced and backed by early 60’s. Ever since Beijing has been increasingly deepening its presence in the Indian Ocean Region for a variety of reasons, such as, oil, trade and security etc. Over 30 per cent of China’s seaborne trade worth about $ 300 billion transits across Indian Ocean Region. Sharing a quarter of the world’s population, China facing ever increasing demand for energy. China has little choice but to look beyond its borders for its energy requirements. Around 77 percent of its oil imports are sourced from West Asia and Africa and these are transporting through the Indian Ocean via Malacca Strait. Thus, China’s dependency on Indian Ocean Region continues to grow for energy imports from gulf and to import resources from Africa and trade with Europe. With China steadily spreading its footprints in the IOR with increasing military presence and with rapidly growing its navy being equipped with warships, destroyers and nuclear submarines through a strategy, called ‘String of Pearls’ which can encircle India in its convenient time in the near future. So, China has been emerging as biggest threat for India by analyzing its actions in the Indian Ocean Region and along with India-China border from Easter Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh as stand-off continues since June 2020.

This book examines the presence of Africa as a significant force in the western Indian Ocean. Africa will increasingly play a pivotal role in the future of the geopolitics of the Indian Ocean region. The book considers the scope for greater African involvement in Indian Ocean region-building activities, and seeks to encourage a western Indian Ocean dialogue. The book publishes some of the best papers presented at an Indian Ocean Research Group (IORG Inc.) symposium held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2013, entitled "The Political Economy of Maritime Africa in the Indian Ocean Region." This symposium was part of a larger project on constructing a sense of "Indian Oceanness". Chapters include: India’s new policy of engagement with Africa; China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean Region; security strategies in the Western Indian Ocean; the increasing importance and significance of the Western Indian Ocean littoral; and cultural linkages between Africa and the Indian Ocean region. This book was previously published as a special issue of the Journal of the Indian Ocean Region.

This book focuses on assessing China’s international environment in the Indian Ocean including political, economic and secure environments through examining the characteristics of the international environment in the Indian Ocean. It figures out that there are four new changes and characteristics from the perspective of the current international environment in the Indian Ocean. Firstly, the turmoil in the security situation in the Indian Ocean has not been eased, but also showed signs of deterioration. Secondly, the strategic competition of the major powers in the Indian Ocean region has been exacerbated. Thirdly, the USA will remain the largest contributing variable in the international environment of the Indian Ocean in the future. Fourthly, India, a biggest country in the region, is becoming a major variable affecting the international environmental change in the Indian Ocean. This book also presents a picture of how the changes of great powers’ geo-strategic competition in the Indian Ocean affect the development of China’s BRI and believes that the Indian Ocean order will be gradually transforming from the American hegemony to the emergence of jointly governance including USA, China and India.

This report, written by senior scholars of international studies and Indian Ocean studies, focuses on international relations in the Indian Ocean region and covers many aspects of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. The report covers strategic reviews, major events and related data in this region, as well as the origin and aims, frameworks and regional and global impacts of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. The contributors hail from five prominent institutes in China. Together they provide the readers a comprehensive and authentic picture of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. This year’s Annual Report is the third in the series and the only one that focuses exclusively on the Indian Ocean region in China.

As humanity enters the Anthropocene epoch the oceans are more at risk than ever before as a result of the increased exploitation of its resources. The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean in the world comprising 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. The sea lanes in the Indian Ocean are among the busiest in the world with more than 80 percent of global seaborne trade in oil transiting through the Indian Ocean and its vital chokepoints and an estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. The importance of this region cannot be underestimated and there is no doubt that there are many opportunities for economic growth and job creation presented by the waters washing the shores of the Indian Ocean Rim. In order to ensure a desirable future for humanity it is necessary to make use of the oceans resources in a sustainable and responsible manner. Climate change is affecting the Indian Ocean negatively, placing a strain on the ability to ensure food security and damaging the economies of small island states that depend on fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods. Increasing ocean temperatures and ocean acidification are taking a toll on ecosystems. This book is the first of its kind, providing fresh insights into the various aspects and impacts of the Blue Economy in the Indian Ocean Region: from shifting paradigms, to an accounting framework, gender dynamics, the law of the sea and renewable energy, this handbook aims at increasing awareness of the Blue Economy in the Indian Ocean Region and to provide evidence to policy-makers in the region to make informed decisions. The contributions are from a mixture of disciplines by scholars and experts from seven countries.

As humanity enters the Anthropocene epoch the oceans are more at risk than ever before as a result of the increased exploitation of its resources. The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean in the world comprising 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. The sea lanes in the Indian Ocean are among the busiest in the world with more than 80 percent of global seaborne trade in oil transiting through the Indian Ocean and its vital chokepoints and an estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. The importance of this region cannot be underestimated and there is no doubt that there are many opportunities for economic growth and job creation presented by the waters washing the shores of the Indian Ocean Rim. In order to ensure a desirable future for humanity it is necessary to make use of the ocean’s resources in a sustainable and responsible manner. Climate change is affecting the Indian Ocean negatively, placing a strain on the ability to ensure food security and damaging the economies of small island states that depend on fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods. Increasing ocean temperatures and ocean acidification are taking a toll on ecosystems. This book is the first of its kind, providing fresh insights into the various aspects and impacts of the Blue Economy in the Indian Ocean Region: from shifting paradigms, to an accounting framework, gender dynamics, the law of the sea and renewable energy, this handbook aims at increasing awareness of the Blue Economy in the Indian Ocean Region and to provide evidence to policy-makers in the region to make informed decisions. The contributions are from a mixture of disciplines by scholars and experts from seven countries.