Executive Summary
The Indian Ocean has become a contested geopolitical area facing a range of maritime security challenges. Given their strategic positions and capabilities, India and Australia are increasingly seen as pivotal in maintaining a stable, rules-based maritime order in the region. Despite growing interests, their maritime partnership shows a lack of regional coordination and a narrow focus primarily on military threats. This report emphasizes the need for India and Australia to develop more coordinated maritime strategies, particularly focusing on the South Asia subregion of the Indian Ocean, which includes Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Bangladesh.
Both countries recognize the importance of safeguarding shipping lanes and maritime resources essential for national security and economic interests. However, their bilateral efforts often lack cohesive regional integration, risking inefficiencies and missed opportunities. The report proposes a more robust and coordinated approach between India and Australia to address not only military threats but also non-traditional security challenges like piracy, illegal fishing, and cyber threats.
Key Maritime Security Challenges
- Strategic Competition: Increasing Chinese military presence in the Indian Ocean has raised concerns for both India and Australia, creating an atmosphere of strategic competition that complicates maritime governance. China’s expanding influence, particularly through military partnerships with South Asian countries, threatens India’s traditional dominance.
- Non-Traditional Security Threats: Alongside military challenges, threats such as piracy, human trafficking, and maritime cyber-attacks are growing. Inadequate maritime governance by smaller nations in the region exacerbates these issues, hindering their ability to respond effectively.
- Environmental Security: Climate change and pollution significantly impact fishing stocks, creating further economic challenges for South Asian nations dependent on these resources.
Recommendations for Enhanced Cooperation
To advance a resilient and coordinated maritime partnership, India and Australia should:
- Expand Bilateral Maritime Cooperation: They should formalize cooperation between their respective coast guards to complement naval activities. Including non-traditional security threats in high-level dialogues is crucial.
- Improve Maritime Cybersecurity: Utilizing existing cybersecurity frameworks to safeguard maritime infrastructure is imperative.
- Coordinate Capacity Building: There should be joint efforts in delivering maritime safety and security equipment to enhance regional partners’ capabilities without duplication.
- Training and Exercises: Conduct joint naval and coast guard training programs to improve operational readiness in the face of emerging maritime security challenges.
- Address Environmental Security: Establish regional centers of excellence focused on marine science to aid in tackling environmental threats collaboratively.
The report underscores the need for India and Australia to not only safeguard their national interests but also work to elevate their partnership to promote regional stability and security effectively. This cooperation is critical for addressing shared concerns over China’s influence and the myriad of non-traditional security challenges in the Indian Ocean.
By focusing on these recommendations, India and Australia can set the stage for a comprehensive maritime security strategy that aligns their individual efforts while also bolstering the capacities of South Asian partners.
