Overview

Prime Minister Modi articulated his vision for the future of the Indian Ocean region when he presented the Offshore Patrol Vessel Barracuda to the Mauritian Coast Guard on March 12, 2015, at Port Louis. Such authoritative statement on Indian Ocean by an Indian leader has not been made for a long time. It evoked considerable interest amongst strategic analysts everywhere. Whilst infusing a soft civilisational complexion to India's envisaged role, it signifies, also, a determination to seek a future of 'Security and Growth for All in the Region' - or SAGAR (Hindi for 'sea'). As Indian Ocean assumes greater significance in the wake of profound geo-strategic shifts and multitudinous challenges to regional stability, there is universal interest in India's policy approach and capabilities toward the shaping of a stable maritime order. The Indian political leadership is conscious of the evolving strategic situation and its implications for the country's security and well-being; it, at the same time, feels that the current circumstances are propitious for such a policy to be successful in substantial measure. Its benign external image and US and other countries', especially regional, support for more proactive engagement provide the wellspring for its determination that the Indian Ocean's challenges should be met by the countries of the region itself even as the legitimate interests of outside powers can be accommodated. The eminent contributors to this volume analyse the various components of the SAGAR pronouncement and contextualise them against the emerging strategic trends and the spectrum of bilateral and multilateral effort required for its success.

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'Whither Indian Ocean Maritime Order?' provides a comprehensive narrative of the quest for a stable security order in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Its contributors, many naval and Foreign Service experts among them, provide compelling assessments of India's consistent efforts to construct a viable regional security architecture. This is a useful addition to the existing literature on Indian Ocean security, especially in the context of the Indian Navy's emerging role as the principal 'maritime security provider' in the South Asian littorals. --Abhijit Singh Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation This collection of contributions by an impressive array of experts and policymakers on the theme of the SAGAR speech has a timeliness but is also a stimulating exploration of its policy framework. This exploration has a strong IR theoretical quality, anchored in the civilisational setting of India's millennial role in the Indian Ocean region, and adds to a certain intellectual renaissance in the Indian political theory currently underway. The volume captures this resurgent spirit which underpins Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inspiring oration when he presented OPV Barracuda to the Mauritius Coast Guard. --Professor Subrata Kumar Mitra Director, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of SingaporeAs India emerges as a major power it is seeking to redefine its role in the Indian Ocean, most recently through the announcement of the Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) policy. This volume is a compact and thoughtful contribution to the growing literature on the evolving scenarios in the region. The authors, comprising both policymakers and strategic analysts from India, have considered India's evolving policies within the broader strategic context. It is an excellent contribution to public debate on this important issue. --Dr David Brewster National Security College, Australian National University

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Mr Yogendra Kumar has been India's Ambassador to Tajikistan and the Philippines as well as High Commissioner to Namibia. He has been concurrently accredited to Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.

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