Blue Economy and Power Politics in the Indian Ocean: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

In order to meet the future global economic challenges, the understanding of the dynamics of the Oceans, in terms of trading aspect, is as essential for the international states as Oxygen is important for the survival of the human beings. This study is an effort to explore the Indian Ocean in the context of "Blue Economy". The Indian Ocean has been presented by the maritime strategists, as an important alternate option, in terms of the increasing dependency of the Middle East, Africa, and Asia on natural resource flows. As being the third-largest ocean in the world, it has grown its’ significance in global politics over the past three decades. It has unique geographic structure, bounded by Australia toward the South-East, Africa in the West and Asia in the North and East. Inspite of enjoying substantial size, expanding population and abundant natural resources, it has long been comparatively neglected in global geopolitics by the superpowers in 20th century. But now, rapidly growing economic challenges compelled the international states to take the Indian Ocean from economic perspective. The objectives of the study are to examine the dynamics of the Indian Ocean from both strategic and economic perspectives, to highlight the challenges, facing by China and Pakistan as a result of the Indian Maritime Strategy in the Indian Ocean and the presence of US naval forces there and finally, to identify those areas where Pakistan-China might be able to take advantage of the Indian Ocean, in the perspective of the Blue Economy. The qualitative study has been grounded, based on secondary data by applying the theory of balance of power. Finally, it offered some recommendations for China and Pakistan regarding how to address the problems that the US and India have placed in the Indian Ocean.