India and the Geopolitics of the Indian Ocean
INTRODUCTION Geopolitics looks at geography and history as inputs into the relations among nations. A corollary is that countries have “natural” opponents and allies. But how this works out depends on the domestic and foreign policies of the leaders and governments of the countries. The history of long-distance Eurasian trade highlights the crucial role of India and the Indian Ocean. For over 2,500 years, the Indian Ocean was the vital route of trade between Europe and the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and China. India was the transshipment center of this trade. Today, 85% of global trade in goods goes by sea. Over 40% is oil. There are three major "choke-points" in seaborne trade - the Red Sea/Suez Canal, the Persian Gulf/Strait of Hormuz, and the Strait of Malacca. Ships from the first two enter the Indian Ocean; the Malacca Strait is the Indian Ocean exit to east Asia. The theme of this essay is the current and possible future the role...
