Gill, Japish S., and Ryan Mitra

Abstract: India’s maritime philosophy has been clearly outlined in both literature, and practice. From a defensive realist perspective, India’s approach to the high seas has brought home various advantages and elevated the country to the status of a major naval power in its region. Despite this prowess, in view of the globalised times and dynamically changing geopolitical scenarios unfolding to its East, India’s interpretation, methods of evaluation, and implementation of its policies, all need to evolve. This paper sheds light on the growing strategic importance-of the South East Asian Regional Complex, as also on the developmental vacuum in this Regional Complex, with specific focus upon Indonesia. The authors aim to address two fundamental questions —“How should India’s relations with Indonesia evolve?”, and, “In what manner should it evolve?”. Indonesia’s role in India’s maritime objectives is a central one and the evolving variables in India’s defensive realist approach places this South East Asian country right at the core of New Delhi’s interests. Full text available here.