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Home / IAS Preparation / Indian Ocean Region UPSC

Indian Ocean Region IOR: Groupings, Significance, Challenges & More| UPSC Notes

Last Updated on Jul 31, 2024
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The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) holds immense strategic importance, encompassing vast maritime zones, coastal states, and numerous island nations. Covering over 70 million square kilometers, the Indian Ocean is the third-largest ocean and provides crucial sea routes that connect the Middle East, Africa, and South and Southeast Asia to the rest of the world. These sea routes are vital for global commerce, facilitating about 40% of the world's oil supply and 64% of container shipments, as reported by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Key maritime chokepoints within the IOR, such as the Strait of Hormuz, Malacca Strait, and Bab el-Mandeb, are critical for energy security and international trade. Moreover, the Indian Ocean is rich in natural resources, including vast fisheries, hydrocarbons, and mineral deposits, making it an important economic zone. The diverse ecosystems in the IOR are significant for environmental sustainability and biodiversity, hosting unique marine species and critical habitats.

This topic is covered in the UPSC Mains Paper II (General Studies): International Relations, and Paper III (General Studies): Security and Disaster Management.

GS Paper

General Studies Paper II

Topics for UPSC Prelims

Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Strategic significance of the Indian Ocean, Key maritime chokepoints in the Indian Ocean, Major security threats in the IOR, India's trade through the Indian Ocean, Marine biodiversity in the IOR, Climate change impact on the Indian Ocean, Recent developments in the IOR.

Topics for UPSC Mains

Strategic importance of the Indian Ocean Region for global trade and security, India's strategic interests in the Indian Ocean Region, Role and impact of regional groupings like IORA and IONS, Geopolitical rivalries in the Indian Ocean Region, Major security concerns and their implications for regional stability, Environmental challenges in the IOR, Maritime cooperation initiatives, India's naval capabilities and maritime strategy, Impact of climate change on the IOR, Future directions for regional cooperation and governance in the Indian Ocean Region.

About the Indian Ocean Region

Strategically, the Indian Ocean region boasts vast maritime zones as well as the coastal states and numerous island nations. It is the third-largest ocean with an area larger than 70 million square kilometers and hosts highly essential sea lines of communications connecting the Middle East, Africa as well as South and South East Asia to the entire world. These shipping lanes are better economic facilities, serving international trade, as about 40% of the world's oil supply travels through them, and 64% of container shipment occurs, as reported by the UNCTAD. Important chokepoints in maritime shipping are found within the IOR, such as the Strait of Hormuz, Malacca Strait, and Bab el-Mandeb. The list goes on in terms of critical position concerning security of energy supplies and international trade. It is also one of the important economic zones with rich fisheries and large deposits of hydrocarbons and minerals. IOR's varied ecosystems include those related to questions of environmental sustainability and biodiversity, home to unique marine species— hosts of critical habitats.

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Groupings and Forums in the Indian Ocean Region

The Indian Ocean Region includes various groupings and forums like IORA, IONS, BIMSTEC, and SAARC, which aim to enhance regional cooperation, economic development, maritime security, and environmental sustainability.

Indian Ocean Rim Association

IORA was formed in 1997 as an essential intergovernmental organization that has dealt with issues of directing regional cooperation and sustainable development in the Indian Ocean region. The association has a membership of 23 countries and 10 dialogue partners- enhance economic prosperity in the IOR, and check that peace and stability prevail in the region. IORA discussions cover maritime safety and security, trade and investment, fisheries management, disaster risk management, and tourism. It makes it possible for the dialogue and cooperation among the members with respect to the mutual challenges and augmenting mutual benefits.

Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS)

IONS was initiated in 2008 as part of one of the most integral maritime security initiatives that bring to work the naval forces of 24 member nations in a region commonly known as the Indian Ocean. IONS has basically the main aim of improving regional security, maritime cooperation, and the issues arising, such as piracy, maritime terrorism, human trafficking, and illegal fishing. The approach that IONS has is in the form of conducting symposiums biennially and holding inter-sessional meetings regularly to ensure collaboration, sharing best practices, and enhancing naval interoperability among other member states.

Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)

Established in 1997, BIMSTEC is a regional organization that acts as a link between Southwest and Southeast Asia. It consists of seven countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. It mainly aims to widen multi-sectoral collaboration in the fields of trade, investment, energy, technology, transportation, and fisheries. The initiative envisions strengthened regional integration, enhanced economic growth, and improved social welfare among states through providing the related above-mentioned basics and capabilities.

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

Established in 1985, SAARC is not exclusively designed as an Indian Ocean-oriented organization; however, it includes many of the IOR countries: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. SAARC is the establishment of regional integration and cooperation in economic, social, and cultural fields. Despite political and operational problems, at present, it still has potential to be the platform of cooperation of the broader South Asian Region.

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Importance of the Indian Ocean Region

The Indian Ocean Region highly credits to global geopolitical and economic stability. It is, in fact, the main maritime highway where huge amounts of various freight, including the most crucial energy resources, are transiting. The IOR, therefore, can be considered as a strategic chokepoint similar to the Strait of Hormuz, Malacca Strait, and Bab el-Mandeb, which are critical world supplies of oil and gas. The rich natural endowment of the IOR includes considerable reserves of hydrocarbons, fisheries, and diverse marine life that enhance its economic potentials, promising economic prosperity and sustainable situations.

From a geopolitical perspective, the IOR is a theater of power projection and strategic competition between major global powers—the United States, China, India, and the emerging regional actors of Australia and Japan. These states try to protect their maritime interests, project influence, and keep regional stability alive and uncapped in an increasingly multipolar world. Moreover, this has added an extra dimension to the IOR's importance, with many of the states of the littoral and island having trade, cultural, and social linkages that span centuries.

Significance for India

India's interests and strategic considerations in the Indian Ocean Region are very deep and multidimensional because the IOR stands central to India's trade. According to the Ministry of Shipping, Government of India, about 95% by volume and 68% by value of India's trade pass through the Indian Ocean. Strategic choke points matter greatly to India's energy security, where a huge portion of the oil and gas imports of the country passes.

The Indian Ocean is regarded as central to India's maritime security strategy. India faces a myriad of non-traditional security threats like piracy, maritime terrorism, and trafficking in addition to others, where an effective and proactive naval presence in the ocean becomes necessary. Therefore, to protect the maritime interests of India, there is a need for enhanced surveillance, maritime domain awareness, and cooperative security frameworks taken by the Indian Navy with other IOR nations.

India engages with regional multilateral structures in the region for the very purpose of regional stability and cooperation. The SAGAR initiative and India's active regional engagement across forums such as IORA and IONS point toward propelling a rules-based maritime order, economic collaboration, and disaster risk management. Commercial and cultural ties bind India to countries of the region, which—non-assumedly—keep India as a key player for the peace and prosperity of the region.

Read the article on the International Maritime Organization!

Concerns of the Indian Ocean Region

The Indian Ocean Region is replete with a myriad of challenges, including to its stability and security. Geopolitical rivalry is intensifying, particularly between big powers such as India and China, in the Indian Ocean Region. It brings along escalated tension and may very well result in conflict. The Chinese port-building and other BRI-related projects across the IOR have been viewed very suspiciously by India and other regional actors as a means to strategic encirclement and dominance.

Non-traditional security threats, including piracy, maritime terrorism, and the trafficking of arms, drugs, and humans, seriously threaten maritime security and commerce. This has been notably true in the waters off the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, where the need for international naval patrols and other naval cooperation has emerged to ensure safe passage for commercial vessels.

There are also environmental challenges in the IOR, including overfishing, marine pollution, and the impacts of climate change—rising sea levels and more frequent extreme weather events—on the ecological health and economic well-being of the region. Coastal erosion and habitat destruction can further lead to the decline in fish stocks, therefore adversely affecting the livelihoods of millions of people across the world who depend on the ocean for their livelihoods.

More importantly, mechanisms of regional governance in the IOR are too ineffective to consider multi-dimensional issues. Pluralistic political, economic, and security interest among states of the IOR mainly results in fragmented policies and cooperation that turn out to be less effective in comprehensive and coordinated efforts towards the management of regional challenges.

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Way Forward

Realization of the potential of the Indian Ocean Region and meeting the challenges there require very all-encompassing and collaborative approaches. This is the reason why regional cooperation, in the IORA, IONS, and BIMSTEC frameworks to tackle the pathways of common security challenges, promote economic development, and ensure environmental sustainability, has to be encouraged and strengthened.

Maritime security infrastructure can be developed with better surveillance systems, robust naval capabilities, and improved interoperability among the IOR navies to enhance further regional security and support the deterrence of piracy and maritime terrorism. These actions will help in promoting transparency of maritime activities so that the rules-based maritime order, including adherence to international maritime laws like the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, prevails.

The environmental sustainable initiatives, through and for IOR, could articulate more on the need to ensure that the rich marine biodiversity be protected while its natural resources remain viable along the long-run viability. Regional cooperation over marine conservation, climate change mitigation, and sustainable fisheries management is of essence in tackling ecological challenges facing the IOR.

India, with its strategic location and growing influence, will be the forerunner in trying to foster regional cooperation and development in the IOR. In terms of diplomacy, economic investments, and developmental support, particularly toward the island and coastal states, India ought to strive to be a factor of stability within these regional confines. Further strengthening the cultural and historical ties with the nation-states of IOR will cement India's power projection within the region and will ensure mutual trust and cooperation.

Key Takeaways for UPSC Aspirants

  • Strategic Importance: The Indian Ocean Region is vital for global trade and energy security due to its key maritime routes and strategic chokepoints.
  • Economic Potential: The IOR boasts significant economic potential with vast natural resources, including hydrocarbons and fisheries, crucial for regional and global economies.
  • Geopolitical Rivalries: The IOR is a focal point for geopolitical competition, particularly between India and China, necessitating nuanced and strategic responses to maintain stability.
  • Non-Traditional Security Threats: Addressing piracy, maritime terrorism, and trafficking is essential for ensuring safe and secure maritime operations in the IOR.
  • Environmental Challenges: Overfishing, pollution, and climate change impacts require coordinated regional efforts to preserve the IOR’s ecological health and economic viability.
  • India’s Strategic Interests: The Indian Ocean is central to India’s trade, energy security, and maritime strategy, with India playing a pivotal role in regional stability and cooperation.
  • Need for Regional Cooperation: Strengthening frameworks like IORA and IONS can enhance collective security, economic growth, and environmental sustainability in the IOR.
  • Future Directions: Emphasis on resilient infrastructure, transparent maritime governance, and cultural ties will foster long-term stability and prosperity in the IOR.

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Indian Ocean Region UPSC FAQs

The IOR is crucial due to its vital maritime routes, significant share of global trade, strategic chokepoints, and rich natural resources like hydrocarbons and fisheries.

Key players in the IOR include India, the United States, China, Japan, Australia, and regional coastal and island nations.

Major security concerns include piracy, maritime terrorism, trafficking, and geopolitical competition, especially between India and China.

India benefits through enhanced trade, energy security, and regional influence, with a significant portion of its trade conducted via Indian Ocean maritime routes.

IORA promotes regional cooperation and sustainable development in sectors like trade, investment, fisheries, and disaster risk management among its member states.

Strengthening naval capabilities, regional cooperation, transparent maritime activities, and adherence to international maritime laws can enhance security in the IOR.

Climate change affects the IOR by causing rising sea levels, increased frequency of extreme weather events, and threats to marine biodiversity and coastal communities.
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