Policy Perspectives
davidb Courtesy: Martyn Wright/Flickr
30 October 2013

The India-Australia security engagement: Opportunities and challenges

This edition of Policy Perspectives discusses how the two leading maritime powers among Indian Ocean states, India and Australia – which will take over from India as Chair of the IOR-ARC at its ongoing meeting in Perth – can consolidate a strategic partnership that spans the Indo-Pacific

smith antony aus def min Courtesy: Australian Government Department of Defence
7 June 2013

India-Australia: Aligning strategic spheres

Defence Minister A. K. Antony’s visit to Australia this week was a significant step forward in the defence relationship. In coming years an India-Australia partnership will be important for managing maritime security in the Indian Ocean and will also have implications for security in Southeast Asia and the Pacific

Furmeyer/WikimediaCommons Courtesy: Furmeyer/WikimediaCommons
13 March 2013

Historical Perspectives on Piracy: The British Empire in the Persian Gulf

Maritime piracy is one of the several grave security issues faced by today’s world. This problem, however, isn’t a new phenomenon, and nations have long-battled this issue. How did piracy manifest itself in the Indian Ocean in the 19th century, and what was the nature of counter-piracy efforts during that period?

pacific islands2 Courtesy: mpeacey/Flickr
27 September 2012

The geo-strategic Pacific Islands

Traditionally, the South Pacific islands have been considered strategically insignificant. However, the need for resources, and the geopolitical shift towards Asia-Pacific have prompted nations to realize that these small island states control large resource-rich ocean areas and are increasingly geostrategic.

angre2 Courtesy: Columbia/WikimediaCommons
4 September 2012

Kanhoji Angre: India’s first naval commander

In the 1700s, one man antagonized the European powers, and insisted on the Maratha Empire’s rights to taxation and sovereignty over Maharashtra’s coast. He was Kanhoji Angre, the head of the Maratha navy. How did he, 283 years ago, set an important precedent for the Subcontinent’s local powers?

piracy piece Courtesy: BlatantWorld.com/Flickr
27 June 2012

Piracy: A dangerous eco-system

The concern with piracy is in our waters is three-fold: the threat to Indian-owned vessels and Indian citizens; the difficulty in dealing with piracy and hostage-taking on the high seas; and finally, squeezing the organized industry. Can India play a leadership role in this effort?

ben sutherland Courtesy: Ben Sutherland/ Flickr
18 November 2011

The architecture for securing lives

Far from being poles apart, large corporations and Indian law enforcement face similar organisational challenges. Both strive for greater coordination, integration and collaboration. But how can we design an efficient system? What are the structural solutions that need to be implemented?