Geopolitics Of Indian Ocean: Emerging Trends

Abstract

The Indian Ocean has gradually emerged as a significant region in terms of the economic and geopolitical patterns of the world powers. In the contemporary power struggles, it has become a most important contesting ground for global dominance. This research analyses the Geo strategic significance of the Indian Ocean and the interests of regional and great powers in it. The study is particularly focusing on two sub-regions of the Indian Ocean (IO) (Arabian Gulf and South Asia) and is mainly probing the strategic competition between New Delhi and Islamabad in these areas. And the structural enforcement these South Asian countries are receiving from Washington and Beijing. Active engagements of great powers in the said regions also highlight the global dynamic of strategic competition IO. The research concludes that different strategies adopted by regional and global powers to increase their sphere of influence in IOR are consequently enhancing strategic dilemma and initiating arms race between regional powers and that any mishandling can easily ends up in a war, which may not be an ordinary one because all the states focused in the current study are nuclear capable.