Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

News Highlight

Seeking collaboration of Indian Ocean Region (IOR) countries to tackle terrorism, narcotics and unregulated fishing in the Indian Ocean, Defence Minister said India was ready to supply missiles and weapon systems to friendly countries in the region.

Key Takeaway

• Addressing the IOR Plus (IOR+ Conclave) Defence Ministers’ Conclave held on the sidelines of DefExpo 2022, the minister also drew parallels with the Russia-Ukrainian conflict to impress upon the need for stability in the IOR.

Indian Ocean Region (IOR) 

• The IOR broadly defines areas consisting of littoral states of the Indian Ocean.
• IOR comprises a number of sub-regions, such as Australia, South East Asia, South Asia, the Horn of Africa and Southern and Eastern Africa.
• It is marked by a glaring cultural, social, political and economic diversity.

Importance of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

• Long Maritime Boundary:
  • With a coastline of over 7,500 km, India is interested in enhancing maritime security.
• Energy security
  • Nearly 80% of India’s crude oil requirement is imported, which is mostly routed through the sea. 
  • Thus, IOR is very important to keep India’s oil route safe.
• Securing Sea lanes of Communication
  • In the Indian Ocean, three major Sea Lanes Of Communication (SLOCS) play a crucial role in energy security and economic prosperity:
    • SLOC connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean through the Bab al-Mandab.
    • SLOC connects the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean through the Strait of Hormuz.
    • SLOC connects the Indian and Pacific Oceans through the Straits of Malacca.
• Trade security:
  • Around 95% of India’s trade by volume and 68 per cent of a trade by value are routed via the Indian Ocean. 
  • Any impediment to the flow of commercial traffic would have disastrous ramifications on her economic objectives.
• Resources
  • India depends heavily on Indian Ocean resources for resources. Fishing and aquaculture industries are a significant source of export and employ more than 14 million people.
• Security threats
  • Militarily, a long coastline makes India vulnerable to potential threats emerging from the sea. 
  • One of the worst terrorist attacks in Mumbai was perpetrated by terrorists arriving by sea
• Piracy
  • The presence of non-traditional threats like piracy, smuggling, illegal fishing, and human trafficking also present significant challenges and hence, the secure Indian Ocean is key to securing India’s national interests.
• Cultural importance
  • The Ocean has long been a critical determining factor of India’s cultural footprint, with people, religion, goods, and customs spreading from India to Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia and vice-versa.

Government initiatives

• SAGAR
  • Security and Growth for All in the Region.
  • It is India’s policy or doctrine of maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. Prime Minister Narendra first announced the policy in 2015.
• Anti-Piracy Operations
  • Faced with the increased threat from piracy originating off the coast of Somalia since 2007 to shipping in the western Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy participated robustly as part of a UNSC-mandated 60-country Contact Group on Piracy off the coast of Somalia.
• Abiding by the International Law:
  • India accepted a United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) tribunal award on the maritime boundary arbitration between India and Bangladesh.
• Indian Ocean Rim Association
  • It was established in 1997 and is a regional forum that seeks to build and expand understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation through a consensus-based, evolutionary and non-intrusive approach.
  • IORA has 22 member states, including India.
  • Its Secretariat is based in Cyber City, Ebène, Mauritius.
• The  International Fusion Centre
  • India established an International Fusion Centre (IFC) for the Indian Ocean region in Gurugram in 2018.
  • IFC aims to generate Maritime Domain Awareness on safety and security issues.

IOR+ Conclave

• The conclave is an initiative to promote dialogue in an institutional and cooperative environment that can foster peace, stability & prosperity in the IOR.
• Through IOR+ Conclave, India showcased three significant aspects of its commitment to fostering peace and prosperity in the region.

Content Source: Indian Express

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