Maritime Threat Perceptions: Non-State Actors in the Indian Ocean Region

Abstract

After the Cold War, the major threat to peace in the maritime sphere emanates from non-state armed groups, especially in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The region does not have any major maritime power amongst its littorals, but is home to most of the troubled spots of the globe and many non-state actors with significant maritime capabilities. The two major ways in which the non-state actors could jeopardise the peace in the region is by maritime terrorism and maritime piracy. There is a thin line dividing the two, primarily based on motives, but there is always a possibility of collusion between them, wherein piracy could be used as a means to give effect to an act of terrorism. The IOR accounts for most of the cases of piracy reported in the world. In the past this region has also witnessed acts of maritime terrorism by non-state outfits like Al Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Their ability to harness the maritime medium to launch audacious terror attacks in the littorals has been amply demonstrated in Mumbai in November 2008. This paper discusses the various maritime threats posed by non-state actors in the IOR and brings out the need for cooperative maritime engagement amongst the maritime forces of the littoral states.