Indian Ocean: Indian Perspectives

8 Maio 2018, 10:00 • Shiv Kumar Singh

Summary of the class--

·         Of all the Oceans of the world, the IO is particularly unique.

            Partly land locked. Its waters remain warm throughout the year.

·         It has a long list of sovereign littoral states.

            Includes 15 African, 24 Asian, 4 Australasian, and 2 states in the Oceanic region.

·         Offers prime Sea Lines of Communications (SLOC) Linking East Asia and Oceania with Asian heartland, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and         the Americas (via both the Atlantic and the Pacific).

·         Its waters touch the shores of over 40 countries and nearly 40% of the world population.

·         Two-thirds of the world’s oil shipments and one-third of the bulk cargo cross the Indian Ocean

·         It is a region of dynamic power contestation between several global powers – but most importantly China and India.

Currently both New Delhi and Beijing are competing against each other to expand their respective maritime influences in the greater Indian Ocean region. 

·         What drives these strategic ambitions?

·         What is the future of Indian Ocean region in light of the competition between these two rival military superpowers?
Hyper nationalism

·         Exaggerated Sense of their place and position in the Indian Ocean Region

·         Contested  Scholarship

·         Greater India School - India (Panikkar to Bose)

·         China extended beyond China -Presented through the eyes of Sinophiles

(eg. Gavin Menezes to Martin Jacques)