India's Ocean by David Brewster

India's Ocean by David Brewster

Author:David Brewster [Brewster, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Ethnic Studies, General, Regional Studies
ISBN: 9781317806981
Google: dkYsAwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2014-03-26T05:56:09+00:00


India’s role in the northwest

The northwest quadrant of the Indian Ocean is critical to India due to its proximity to South Asia and India’s reliance on energy imports. But it is also an area in which India faces considerable obstacles to expanding its strategic influence. While India might be expected to be a natural security provider there, its ability to project power in the area is severely constrained by Pakistan. India will need to overcome these constraints if it is to stake a claim to be the ‘leading’ power of the Indian Ocean.

Since independence, India has made several attempts to build long-term partnerships with several middle powers in the northwest, including Egypt, Iraq and Iran. For various reasons, none of these have been successful. India’s economic influence has grown considerably over the last decade or so and its security relationships with Gulf states are improving. But Pakistan’s relationships in the region and the Islamic factor will make it difficult for it to develop a significant security role in the Persian Gulf.

Despite these constraints, a strategic relationship with Iran presents considerable opportunities for India in the long term. In the event of change in Iran’s ruling regime, India would be sorely tempted to develop a new strategic partnership with the country. This could provide India with much-needed strategic leverage in the Persian Gulf vis a vis the United States and Gulf Arab states and potentially provide an opportunity to establish a direct military presence there. Needless to say, it would also have significant implications for the balance of power between India and Pakistan.



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