
THE VANILLA ISLANDS — POTENTIAL FOR A ‘PLURALISTIC SECURITY COMMUNITY’
The expression “Vanilla Islands” is a colloquialism that has been gaining currency since 2010 and is used to collectively describe a group of six exotic island-States (Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Reunion, and Seychelles) that…
Embassy of France in CanberraFRANCE’S INDO-PACIFIC STRATEGY 2022: AN ANALYSIS
Introduction
During his speech on 02 May 2018 at the Garden Island Naval Base at Sydney, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, spelt out his country’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. The strategy was based on seven pillars and aimed at placing…
UA WeaponsSINKING OF THE RUSSIAN CRUISER MOSKVA: A CAUSE-EFFECT ANALYSIS
One of the major casualties of the Russia-Ukraine conflict was the loss of the Russian Navy cruiser, the Moskva, in the Black Sea, after an unexplained fire on board. While Ukraine understandably claimed credit —albeit not yet corroborated…
Indian Navy and Sea Power Centre - Australia NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES: INDIA’S MARITIME OUTLOOK
This paper was published as a chapter in a book titled “Schools of Maritime Thought: Perspectives from Six Nations”. The book is the first product of ‘The Maritime Research Working Group’ (MRWG) organised by the Sea Power Centre-Australia…
Wikimedia CommonsCYBER OPERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE UKRAINE-RUSSIA CONFLICT: AN OPEN-SOURCE ASSESSMENT
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 Feb 2022 was preceded by warnings from the US, UK, and others, of an impending attack by the Russian forces massed along Ukraine’s eastern and northern borders. These warnings were unprecedented in that…
European External Action ServiceTHE MARITIME SECURITY DIMENSION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION-INDIA STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP: REVIEW OF THE 2020-25 ROADMAP
As underscored by the leaders of European Union (EU) and India, at their recent meeting in April 2022, India, and Europe, two large and vibrant democratic societies, share similar values and a commonality of perspectives on several global issues. …
AFPSTRENGTHENING NEARCOAST SEARCH AND RESCUE: A WHOLE-OF-SOCIETY APPROACH
Coastal States are required to establish, operate and maintain effective Search and Rescue (SAR) services. India’s responsibilities for such services, which begins from its coast, extends over an expansive region, and necessitates the use…
Indian NavyHOLISTIC MARITIME SECURITY CHALLENGES FACING INDIA: MITIGATION IMPERATIVES AND OPTIONS
India, by virtue of having a large coastal frontage in the northern Indian Ocean, is faced with a wide range of maritime security challenges in both, traditional and non-traditional domains. While traditional threats arise primarily on account…
DiplomatistTHE EUROPEAN UNION, INDIA, AND THE INDO-PACIFIC: INSIGHTS FOR STRATEGIC, PRIVILEGED AND SUSTAINED PARTNERSHIPS
In the present century, the Indo-Pacific region has emerged as a seedbed of both confrontation and cooperation. Outside of the moves and countermoves of the USA and China are two other major players, namely, the EU and India. Concerted…

INTERNATIONAL STRAITS OF RELEVANCE TO INDIA
Abstract
International straits, by way of geography—resulting in their reference as ‘choke points’—and function, are a crucial component of the maritime domain. This is particularly true of the Indian Ocean Region within which India…
UNIMARITIME DIMENSIONS OF SMUGGLING IN INDIA: AN ASSESSMENT
Introduction
In a series of articles published since 2020, assessments on non-traditional maritime security threats to India, such as armed robbery, climate change, drug trafficking have been made. This article explores the maritime dimensions…

BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN INDIA: THE SECURITY DIMENSION
Biodiversity Conservation and Maritime Security
Biological diversity, or biodiversity, is defined as the “variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the…
