Indian Ocean Region (International Relations)
3. Indian Ocean Region (International Relations)
Why In News: ● Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that 'shared responsibility must' for the Indian Ocean at a high-level bilateral meeting with Seychelles. ● India and Seychelles reaffirmed their commitment to making the Indian Ocean an 'ocean of opportunity' - for trade, connectivity, maritime security, and blue economy. ● The statement reflects India's broader SAGAR Doctrine and its role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) - Strategic Significance
● Geographic spread: World's third-largest ocean (~70.56 million sq km). Bordered by Africa, Asia, Australia, and Antarctica. ● Economic criticality: Over 80% of the world's seaborne oil trade and approximately 40% of global offshore oil production transits occurs in the IOR. ● Strategic choke points: Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, Bab-el-Mandeb (Mandeb Strait), Cape of Good Hope - all are critical chokepoints in IOR. ● India's geographical advantage: India's coastline of 7,516 km and peninsular location at the center of the IOR makes it the dominant littoral state.
India's SAGAR Doctrine ● SAGAR: Security and Growth for All in the Region. Articulated by PM Modi in March 2015 during his visit to Mauritius. ● Core principles: Peaceful resolution of maritime disputes, sustainable use of ocean resources, free trade and connectivity, capacity building for island nations, and collective security.
India-Seychelles Relations ● Seychelles: An archipelagic nation of 115 islands in the Western Indian Ocean; a member of the African Union and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). ● Defence cooperation: India has gifted patrol vessels, Dornier aircraft, and helicopters to the Seychelles Coast Guard for maritime surveillance. India also provides hydrographic surveys. ● Assumption Island: A key location where India and Seychelles have cooperated on infrastructure development for maritime surveillance capabilities. ● Training: India trains Seychellois military and coast guard personnel through establishments in India.
Key IOR Groupings and Mechanisms ● IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association): ○ An inter-governmental organization established in 1997 with its vision originating during a visit by Nelson Mandela to India in 1995. ○ Objective: Encourage regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian ocean region. ○ Secretariat: Mauritius ○ Members: 23 Members and 12 dialogue partners ● IONS (Indian Ocean Naval Symposium): ○ The IONS is a voluntary initiative aimed at enhancing maritime cooperation among the navies of IOR littoral states. ○ It provides an open forum for discussing regional maritime issues, sharing information, and fostering common understanding for cooperative solutions. ○ Members: IONS has a collective strength of 34 states (25 Members, including India, and 9 Observers).