The Indian Ocean as a New Political and Security Region

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Frédéric Grare, Jean-Loup Samaan

   Pages 1-14

3. The Advent of China’s Indian Ocean Strategy

   • Frédéric Grare, Jean-Loup Samaan

   Pages 15-41

4. Between East and West, India’s Revived Engagements

   • Frédéric Grare, Jean-Loup Samaan

   Pages 43-70

5. The US, the Reluctant Offshore Balancer of the Indian Ocean Rivalries

   • Frédéric Grare, Jean-Loup Samaan

   Pages 71-98

6. The UK and France: An European Struggle for Regional Influence

   • Frédéric Grare, Jean-Loup Samaan

   Pages 99-123

7. The Gulf Arab Monarchies: From Gateways to Strategic Players in the Indian Ocean?

   • Frédéric Grare, Jean-Loup Samaan

   Pages 125-150

8. Australia and the ASEAN Member States: From Interest to Commitment?

   • Frédéric Grare, Jean-Loup Samaan

   Pages 151-177

9. Indian Ocean Africa, from Mere Stakeholder to Future Power Broker?

   • Frédéric Grare, Jean-Loup Samaan

   Pages 179-204

10. Rethinking the Indian Ocean Security Architecture

    • Frédéric Grare, Jean-Loup Samaan

    Pages 205-226

11. Back Matter

    Pages 227-232

    PDF

This book analyses the emergence of the Indian Ocean as security complex and a strategic space of central importance and also looks at its prospective future. As well as US-China rivalry, the India-China rivalry is now the defining factor in the Indian Ocean – irrespective of the strategic asymmetry. This new situation has opened a space for middle-powers, old and new, to intervene. The authors argue that this situation may turn into an additional source of instability and that the creation of an inclusive and comprehensive regional security architecture, as well as the strengthening of regional multilateralism, should be the priority of all stakeholders in the coming decade.

• Indian Ocean
• Indian Ocean Region
• Security Studies
• International Security Studies
• Strategic Studies
• Middle Powers
• India
• China
• United States
• Asia-Pacific
• ASEAN
• Africa

“Grare and Samaan provide a seminal contribution in mapping emerging security and strategic realities within the Indian Ocean region, showing it as a political construct. This will hopefully inform both scholars and policy-makers dealing with the region and with maritime geopolitics.” (Sayantan Haldar, International Affairs, Vol. 98 (3), 2022)

• European Council on Foreign Relations, Paris, France

  Frédéric Grare

• Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

  Jean-Loup Samaan

Frederic Grare is Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Affairs (ECFR) and a non-resident senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Jean-Loup Samaan is Senior Research Fellow at the Middle East Institute of the National University of Singapore and Associate Researcher with the French Institute of International Relations. 

Policies and ethics