Context:

• India, in partnership with Singapore and Oman, is hosting the Eighth Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) in Muscat, Oman.
• Foreign ministers from around 30 countries are attending to discuss the region’s future.

Historical Significance of the Indian Ocean:

• The Indian Ocean derived its name from the historical and civilisational influence that India wielded on the countries of the region.
• It served as a crucial trade route for Indian merchants (like the Manigramam Chettis and Nanadesis) and dynasties like the Pallavas, Cholas, and Andhras.
• Ancient texts like Kautilya’s Arthashastra highlighted the importance of maritime activities.
• Fa-Hien, a Chinese traveller, wrote in 415 CE that the ship that took him from Ceylon to Sri Vijaya (present-day Indonesia) had 200 merchants who professed the “Brahmanical religion”.
• The Indian Ocean enabled India’s economic dominance in the first millennium but was later controlled by European colonial powers.

India’s Neglect of Maritime Power Post-Independence:

• The British, despite being naval powers, did not develop India’s maritime strength.
• After independence, India’s focus remained on land-based security, neglecting its naval potential.
• India ranks 20th in global shipbuilding with only 0.06% market share.

Importance of the Indian Ocean:

• Cultural and civilizational connect:
  • Though discourse on the “Indo-Pacific” dominates the world today, it is a geo-strategic construct, where big power competition is omnipresent.
  • The “Indian Ocean” is a largely peaceful natural region connected by civilization and culture.
  • Vast expanses of the waters of the 3rd-largest ocean in the world touch the shores of 26 countries.
  • For many other landlocked countries like Nepal and Bhutan, the Indian Ocean remains a lifeline.
• Economic importance:
  • From the Persian Gulf to the Strait of Malacca, the Indian Ocean is the main trading artery for many countries in the world.
  • The Indian Ocean is a critical global trade route as it -
    • Handles 70% of the world’s container traffic.
    • Facilitates 80% of India’s external trade and 90% of its energy trade.
• Strategic importance:
  • The Indian Ocean today is a strategic space with increasing military and commercial activities.
  • The US and UK, with their Diego Garcia base, and France with Reunion Island, are already active in the region.
  • Also, China is investing heavily in the region to spread its influence.

Steps Taken by India to Enhance its Maritime Influence and Key Concerns:

• Steps taken:
  • PM Narendra Modi nurtured the ambition of rising as an influential blue-water power and the voice of the Global South.
  • SAGAR Initiative (Security and Growth for All in the Region) was launched in 2015 to enhance India’s maritime influence.
• Key concerns:
  • Piracy, terrorism, illegal fishing, human trafficking.
  • Climate change, rising sea levels, disaster management.
  • Influence of Chinese companies like Huawei in undersea communication networks.

The Call for Regional Maritime Leadership:

• According to Alfred Mahan’s theory, maritime supremacy in the Indian Ocean equates to global influence.
• The IOC serves as a platform for regional leaders to ensure that the affairs of this “region of peace” remain in their hands.
• Strengthening maritime cooperation is crucial for India to emerge as a dominant power in the Indo-Pacific.

Conclusion:

• The peninsular character of India and the essential dependence of its trade on maritime traffic give the Indian Ocean a preponderant influence on its destiny. (KM Panikkar)
• India must enhance its naval capabilities and strategic outreach to secure its maritime interests.
• The IOC is a crucial step toward ensuring regional stability and asserting India’s influence in the maritime domain.