Hardy, Dennis

Abstract: The Bay of Bengal has for centuries been the scene of commercial and cultural interactions between the surrounding countries. In contrast, the second half of the twentieth century saw something of a hiatus. That break in continuity has now passed and the aim of this paper is to demonstrate how, in response to changing circumstances, a new dynamic is evolving. For different reasons, the region is being ‘repositioned’. One fundamental change is that the strategic redefinition of the Indian Ocean, so that it becomes part of the more expansive Indo–Pacific region, has effectively shifted the Bay eastwards. China’s presence in the region emphasizes this, while the littoral countries are all themselves on the frontline of far-reaching change. Nothing is as it was. Yet, for all that, the framework of governance is weak, opening the question of how to bring it more into line with the realities of the new situation. Full text available here.