Securitisation, Sovereignty, and Regional Cooperation: ASEAN Insights for IORA on Addressing IUU Fishing as a Transnational Environmental Crime

Regional cooperation among the littoral states of the Indian Ocean is in the interests of those states, whose economies are critically dependent on its waters and sea-lanes. The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is currently the major organisation that seeks to promote cooperation within the region, including economic, political and security dimensions. This article examines regional cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region within the framework of the IORA, exploring the association’s historical development and cooperation model (structure and institutions) to deduce whether cooperation is driven by geography (location), or by ideology (non-location). The article further explores whether the IORA’s cooperative framework offers lessons that can be replicated in other regional cooperation contexts. The article argues that while geographical proximity stimulates regional cooperation, ‘shared’ ideology evidently plays a more central role in encouraging nations in far distant places to form an association for various economic, political, and social functions.

<p>Indonesian government concerned to determine the future of the Pacific and Indian Ocean Region through new vision as the world maritime fulcrum. The elected President, Joko Widodo realized the importance to strengthen the priority in maritime sector. Expanding globalization and growing needs of energy security leads Indian Ocean region as an important area for the global security. Regionalism has implications for both security and development in a region. Significant growth in Indian Ocean region urges a cooperation approach between littoral countries located around the Indian Ocean and lead the establishment of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). As Indonesia will be a chairman in IORA by the third quarter of 2015, Indonesia can play an important role and influence the region with its chairmanship in IORA, both in terms of economy and security. Indonesia could develop a comprehensive maritime cooperation through the IORA. The cooperation will lead to acomplishment of the Indonesia’s national interests. On the other side, the potential trade volume in the Indian Ocean region cannot be reached because of limited maritime infrastructure that facilitate the current trade. IORA should develop a master plan or blueprint on connectivity that will provide the infrastructure development agenda with the Public-Private Partnership to accelerate the infrastructure development. By this situation, the development of maritime infrastructure can be a double advantage for Indonesia because it will connect APEC and IORA. The important things to consider in terms of security is a potential threat both in security and defense if the government decided to open and build a deep seaport in Western Sumatera and Java Island.It is important to evaluate the potential threats and challenges if Indonesia wants to be a fulcrum ofworld maritime activity.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: IORA, diplomacy, maritime security, regional integration, maritime fulcrum, regionalism</p>

This article analyzed the opportunities and challenges of Indonesia maritime diplomacy in the context of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). As part of the effort to realize the policy of global maritime fulcrum, Indonesia utilizes maritime diplomacy to look for the close cooperation and agreements with IORA member countries. Up to date, Indonesian foreign policy, specifically in the maritime field is tending to be more dominant to the Pacific Ocean rather than the Indian Ocean. Thus, this paper will explain how Indonesia implements its maritime diplomacy within IORA, and what the opportunities and challenges faced by Indonesia inside the association. Using the method of literature study, this descriptive paper uses the concept of maritime diplomacy and global maritime fulcrum in order to explain the study. This paper argues that IORA’s strategic policy in maritime security and economic policies, links with Indonesia policy in global maritime fulcrum. Thus, Indonesia uses maritime diplomacy to take the advantages and opportunities to enhance maritime connectivity and cooperation with IORA members. Nevertheless, several issues challenge Indonesia like the increasing of great power states maritime influence such as India and China in the Indian Ocean, as well as challenges in integrating IORA member states.

Purpose of the study: to identify the features of international cooperation between Russia and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in the field of maritime security. Methodology. The author, based on a wide range of the latest domestic and foreign sources, studies the political and legal foundations for Russia’s activities in the Indian Ocean region, and conducts a step-by-step analysis of the structure and priorities of the IORA activities. The main methodology of the study consists of systematic and comparative approaches, contributing to an objective and comprehensive analysis of international cooperation between the Russian Federation and IORA in the Indian Ocean region. Conclusions. It is shown that Russia, based on its accumulated experience with the multilateral regional systems, advocates the development of cooperation between the system of interstate interaction mechanisms formed in the Asia-Pacific region around ASEAN, and multilateral structures of the Indian Ocean zone. It has been revealed that Russia, like other IORA countries, sees the advantages of further developing maritime transport and navigation, coastal areas and tourism, sustainable fishing, the fight against marine pollution, and the joint study of ocean resources. Particular attention is paid to international cooperation projects in the field of the “blue economy”, which are carried out by the Department of Multilateral Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, the state corporation Rosatom and IORA. Russia’s international cooperation with IORA will help expand Russia’s strategic presence and influence in the Indian Ocean.

Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) region is a natural contour of the Indian Ocean. BIMSTEC and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) are siblings, which are interconnected through culture, commerce and connectivity. This chapter analyses the broad contour of IORA-BIMSTEC relations, discusses the scope and opportunities of cooperation and presents a set of goals to enhance the inter-regional cooperation between them. It presents some common challenges being faced the BIMSTEC and IORA and discusses the regional cooperation agenda in order to strengthen the partnership between the different regional blocs. Connected by ocean, BIMSTEC and IORA are interlinked in trade in goods and services. BIMSTEC and IORA are predominantly maritime nations and share the ocean to promote economic and strategic relations. The chapter concludes that BIMSTEC and IORA may consider promoting trade in their respective regions and with other regions through harmonization of non-tariff measures, trade and investment facilitation measures, etc.

ABSTRACTGender equality is high on the global agenda. With the adoption of the sustainable development goals, the world reaffirmed its commitment to advance gender equality and the empowerment of all women and children. In this context, the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) committed itself to gender equality through advancing women’s economic empowerment [IORA (2016). Declaration on gender equality and women’s economic empowerment. Retrieved from http://www.iora.net/media/168553/iora_declaration_on_gender_equality_and_women_s_economic_empowerment_2016.pdf]. At the heart of sustainable development for the IORA countries is the need for women’s economic empowerment. Drawing on the United Nations Development Programme’s 2016 Human Development Report Statistical Annex and the World Bank’s report [(2016). Women, business and law index. Retrieved from http://wbl.worldbank.org/data/exploretopics/protecting-women-from-violence], this paper presents a baseline analysis of gender, transformation, and development within the IORA. The paper analyzes gender and transformation within IORA focusing on policy directives for gendered development and transformation. We argue to advance gender transformation within IORA, a political imaginary of what a gender-equal IORA entails is an essential component of gendered developmental policy within the region. This requires building transnational feminist and women empowerment networks to create discursive feminist frameworks that guide women empowerment and gender justice within IORA, contributing to a transformed understanding of diplomacy within the region.

Engaging with a multilateral body requires constructive foreign policy forethought, especially for a country that is not a fully fledged member of that body. China’s overtures to the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) exemplify this approach. The Indian Ocean and India are the two most immediate elements in China’s policy approach to the IORA. With 20 member states, extra-territorial major powers as important dialogue partners, and the increasing importance of energy politics in the region, the IORA today is a significant multilateral body in China’s calculus. Beijing’s involvement with the IORA bespeaks the construct and strategy of a great power. For India, China’s power construct in this matter poses three challenges: Beijing as a maritime power; Beijing as an economic power; and Beijing as a polygonal power.

ABSTRACTThis paper reviews the existing multilateral structures in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) – notably the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) – in the context of various geopolitical facets, ranging from geoeconomics to regional security and good order. It examines and recommends options to bolster economic multilateralism in the IOR though a comprehensive two-fold approach. The first one seeks to enhance intraregional trade, maritime–economic connectivity, and technology sharing, delving into issues relating to a region-wide free trade agreement (FTA), the amalgamation of economic corridors within IORA, and the “Make in India” initiative. The second is founded upon the indispensability of a secure and conducive maritime environment for economic development, and addresses maritime safety and security (MSS), as also “good order” in the IOR. It suggests measures to bolster the IORA’s nascent MSS architecture with a web of bilateral, trilateral and subregional mechanisms, emphasising the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) as the key functional enabler of IORA’s MSS agenda. It also examines the imminent challenges relating to freedom of navigation (FoN), and undertakes an appraisal of Sri Lanka’s draft Code of Conduct (CoC) for the Indian Ocean. The arguments presented hinge upon the suggestion that the collective approach of the IOR countries should ideally be in consonance with India’s prime-ministerial enunciation of the concept of SAGAR – security and growth for all in the region. If each Indian Ocean country’s economy is a “boat”, the Indian “boat” cannot rise unless all “boats” rise with a rising economic tide.

ABSTRACTThe Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) identified maritime safety and security as one of the six priority areas for cooperation among the member states. Hence, there is a need to develop a legal framework for maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region, ratify applicable international legal conventions on maritime security and create a system for the resolution of disputes among IORA member states. This paper proposes that there exists a strong case for the IORA charter to be amended to provide for a mechanism that IORA member states can use as a forum for dispute resolution. It argues that such a forum will create a platform for member states for deliberating weighty and controversial issues without jeopardising progress within the association. The paper further proposes the creation of an IORA legal group of experts whose mandate should include the development of a maritime security framework for the Indian Ocean Region, which is critical to the promotion of good order at sea.

Indonesia's maritime geopolitics is implemented in the form of relations and interactions between regions, countries, communities, and national interests which have a broad context in the relations of cooperation and international relations. The geographical position of Indonesia, which connects the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, has strategic geopolitical potential and opportunities to realize the World Maritime Axis policy (WMA). This study aims to analyze the perspective of Indonesia's maritime geopolitics in the Indian Ocean, opportunities and challenges and collaboration with countries in the Indian Ocean. The research method used is a descriptive analysis of the dynamics of the global situation developing in the Indian Ocean. Indonesia's leadership has been recognized and respected by countries in the Indian Ocean region since the Asian-African Conference (AAC) 1955 in Bandung, then again strengthened at the 50 th anniversary of AAC in 2015 in Bandung. Indonesia also took advantage of the opportunity when it was appointed to lead the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) 2017 which gave birth to the agreed IORA Concord or Jakarta Concord as a document that can encourage maximum use of opportunities and respond to challenges in the region and is aimed at addressing non-traditional security issues, such as IUU fishing activities, human trafficking, illegal drugs, illegal immigrants, piracy, pollution of the marine environment, and others. Awareness of the importance of marine resources, maritime stability and security in the Indian Ocean region for the welfare of IORA member countries is realized by utilizing opportunities through a framework of strategic partnership and maritime diplomacy between countries in the region. The result of study, Indonesian maritime geopolitics in the Indian Ocean is a foreign policy utilizing Indonesia's geographical location in building the concept of maritime power in the Indian Ocean region based on strengthening cooperation with countries in South Asia, countries of the Middle East, East Africa, South Africa, Australia and countries others extracted the realization of the World Maritime Axis.

:The Indian Ocean is not only a geographic unit, but also a sub-system of the international system constructed within the interactions among the coastal countries. This article chooses the regional organizations as a variable to analyze the interactions among Indian Ocean coastal countries. With the empirical studies on the regional cooperation organizations, this article discloses the dynamics behind the regional integration between costal countries along the Indian Ocean Region. Six most representative regional cooperation organizations have been analyzed by this article, which are respectively the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Southern African Development Community (SADC), and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), as well as Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). They could make purposive and rational decisions within the institutional constraints. Based on case studies and comparative analysis, this article suggests that there are four significantly different cooperation models among the coastal countries, and suggests not simply estimate the likely regional powers or organizations that would lead the construction of the regional cooperation, but the great importance of building the linkage among various regional cooperation institutions.

<p>Indonesian government concerned to determine the future of the Pacific and Indian Ocean Region through new vision as the world maritime fulcrum. Significant growth in Indian Ocean region urges a cooperation approach between littoral countries located around the Indian Ocean and lead the establishment of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). The cooperation will lead to the accomplishment of the Indonesia’s national interests. On the other side, the potential trade volume in the Indian Ocean region cannot be reached because of limited maritime infrastructure that facilitates the current trade. IORA should develop a master plan or blueprint on connectivity that will provide the infrastructure development agenda with the Public-Private Partnership to accelerate the infrastructure development. By this situation, the development of maritime infrastructure can be a double advantage for Indonesia because it will connect APEC and IORA. The important things to consider in terms of security is a potential threat both to security and defense if the government decided to open and build a deep seaport in Western Sumatera and Java Island.It is important to evaluate the potential threats and challenges if Indonesia wants to be a fulcrum of world maritime activity.</p>

This case study examines the role of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in addressing human trafficking and irregular migration in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) from 2015 to 2025. We assess the role of these regional organizations in promoting naval collaboration, harmonizing legal frameworks, and sharing intelligence to address transnational maritime crimes, applying Securitization Theory to examine how non-traditional threats are framed as existential security issues. The study employs a qualitative methodology, integrating case study analysis, policy-legal reviews, and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, along with secondary data drawn from institutional reports and academic literature. It has been shown that IORA and IONS have been successful in considering human trafficking and migration as security concerns resulting in the establishment of unified naval operations and agreements like the 2017 IORA Maritime Safety and Security Agreement. However, no operational inequalities can be completely removed due to the unequal distribution of resources among member states, and the security-centered approaches often do not take the rights of victims into account, creating ethical dilemmas. Statistics depict that the number of migrants apprehended at the initial stages of the process was at its most concerning peak in 2021, then the curve began to decline, and new strategies to prevent migration may have been developed or migration patterns changed. The paper highlights the importance of building capacity in less-endowed nations, having formalized mechanisms of sharing of intelligence, and integrating humanitarian principles in security policies. To fill the gaps in the academic field of maritime security, the given study will develop the action plan to enhance the governance of the region and balance securitization with the respect of human rights, thus promoting the further discussion of maritime security and its role in decreasing transnational crime.

Subject Outlook for the Indian Ocean Rim Association. Significance Indonesia on March 5-7 hosted the first summit of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). Indonesia currently chairs the IORA, and President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo views the oceanic focus of the IORA as a means of pursuing his own vision of making Indonesia a ‘global maritime fulcrum’. Impacts The IORA lacks the credibility and muscle to help resolve the South China Sea dispute. The body may be effective over time in curbing maritime refugee crises and piracy. Indonesia will remain averse to multilateral trade deals, at least under Jokowi.

Indonesia utilizes the Blue Economy framework, which combines economic growth, environmental care, and social equity by leveraging its abundant ocean resources. To some extent, the Blue Economy could also positively contribute to Indonesia's maritime security architecture as it provides the capital to boost its maritime security apparatus. To achieve this purpose, Indonesia actively participated in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), particularly after 2015, when the country led the organization and delivered on its vision of being the Global Maritime Fulcrum a year before. However, Indonesia’s Blue Economy initiative through the IORA appeared to be ineffective in resolving maritime challenges at the national level. Furthermore, its emphasis on an ocean-centric strategy for economic development is hampered by a half-hearted government that inconsistently supports the idea of a global maritime fulcrum. This study seeks to revisit Indonesia’s Blue Economy through involvement in the IORA. In addition, this study used the qualitative method to examine the difference between the IORA’s visions, the Blue Economy, and Indonesia’s Global Maritime Fulcrum. This study discovers that Indonesia’s involvement in the IORA does not successfully assist the country in expanding its marine sector, and it also experiences a divergence in the maritime-centric approach to development.