The Indian Ocean

de Ellen B. Laipson, Amit Pandya

Some of the topics addressed in this volume are social and economic, from the rising importance of the region in global trade to the tragedy of human trafficking. Other topics are scientific, such as fisheries and environmental degradation. Yet others are in a more traditional security realm, with rising Asian powers looking to naval prowess as one aspect of their national power and influence, and the concern of all littoral states to protect energy supplies and prevent terrorism and proliferation of illicit weapons and materials. Regional cooperation and governance of the maritime space is another topic on which we focus, analyzing existing mechanisms to develop policy prescriptions and best practices. This volume explores all these issues, and tries to illuminate how they interact and present new security dilemmas for states and societies.