Prakash, Arun

Abstract
Celebrating the “rise of the East” after a 500-year interregnum, the author investigates the reasons why Europe surged forward through the Renaissance, followed by the industrial revolution, while this part of the world stood relatively still. Domination of the seas by European nations was, no doubt, a crucial factor that laid the foundations of their prosperity. A hoary maritime tradition and shipbuilding as well as seafaring skills notwithstanding, Asian nations failed to exploit the seas to their benefit for want of enterprise and ambition. The wheel having come full circle in the 21st century, the author sounds a note of caution as Asian nations, fortunes on the ascendant, stand on the threshold of a naval arms race. He counsels cooperation rather than conflict, and suggests that seas would have an important role to play in fostering peace and friendship.
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