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Journal of Indian Ocean Studies-A UGC-CARE Listed Journal

Published in Association with Society of Indian Ocean Studies (SIOS)

Current Volume: 33 (2025 )

ISSN: 0972-3080

Periodicity: Tri-annual

Month(s) of Publication: April, August & December

Subject: Political Science & International Affairs

DOI: 10.32381/JIOS

Online Access is free for Life Member

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The Journal of Indian Ocean Studies is a publication of the Society for Indian Ocean Studies (SIOS). Having completed twenty-eight years of publication, the Journal, published three times a year-in January, May and September, aims at bringing out articles contributed by defence experts, diplomats, eminent scholars and renowned thinkers on the various aspects of the Indian Ocean and the littoral regions of South and Southeast Asia, Africa, the Gulf and Australia.

The Editorial Advisory Board Comprising Strategists and former practitioners of foreign affairs and defence as well as distinguished scholars on economy, history, etc. of the region provide regular guidance and advice. The journal has a vast readership among the Parliamentarians, think-tanks, maritime establishments, universities and institutions of excellence in  various fields as also individual scholars.
 

ProQuest

 

Editor -in -chief
Ambassador Sudhir T. Devare (Retd.)

Amb. (Retd.) Sudhir T. Devare is a retired career diplomat former Indian diplomat who served in various diplomatic capacities from 1964 to 2001.
He had been Indian Ambassador to Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Myanmar and Indonesia before retiring as Secretary in-charge of India’s economic relations. He was a member of the National Security Advisory Board, Visiting Professor at the Centre of East Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Vice-Chairman of the Research and Information System (RIS) of Developing Countries, Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore. Currently, he is the Ram Sathe Chair Professor, at the Symbiosis School of International Studies, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune.

He is on the Advisory Board of the India International Centre, New Delhi and a Member of the Eminent Persons' and Experts' Group of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) besides being the Chairman of the Society for Indian Ocean Studies and Editor-in-chief of its flagship publication.


Managing Editor
Ambassador (Retd.) J. K. Tripathi

Amb. (Retd.) J. K. Tripathi is a retired career diplomat with his career spanning for thirty three years.
Having served in Indian missions in Zambia, the Maldives, Hungary, Sweden, Venezuela and Oman, he rendered his services as the Consul general of India in Sao Paulo, Brazil before retiring as the Ambassador of India to Zimbabwe. Currently he is the Managing Editor of the Journal of Indian Ocean Studies.


Editorial Advisory Board
Admiral Arun Prakash

Chief of Naval Staff (Retd.)


Amb. Sheelkant Sharma

Former Secretary General,

SAARC


Lt. Gen. Shamsher Singh Mehta

Trustee,

Pune International Centre


Amb. Biren Nanda

Former Ambassador to

Indonesia and Australia


Prof. P. V. Rao

National Professor, ICSSR

Visiting Professor, NALSAR


Vice Admiral (Retd.) Anup Singh

Director Strategic Studies, SIOS


Prof. Swaran Singh

Professor of Diplomacy, JNU

Chairman,

Association of Asian Scholars


Commodore (Retd.) C. Uday Bhaskar

Director,

Society for Policy Studies,

Former D. G., IDSA


Prof. Vinayshil Gautam

Vice Chairman,

Foundation of Organisational

Research and Education (FORE)


Dr. Krishnendra Meena

Associate Professor at Centre for International Politics
Organization and Disarmament, School of International Studies,
awaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
He specializes on the topics of Geopolitics, Indian Ocean, Borders and BRICS. He joined SIOS as Secretary General in December 2020.


Volume 33 Issue 2 , (May-2025 to Aug-2025)

Editorial

By: Sudhir T. Devare

Page No : i-iv

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Strategic Importance of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Opportunities for India

By: S.N. Ghormade

Page No : 165-175

Abstract
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) archipelago comprising of about 836 islands is located at the cross roads of Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. Its strategic location provides India with a significant advantage in terms of maritime security, defence and trade routes. The islands rich marine biodiversity, pristine beaches and untapped marine resources offer vast potential for various sectors such as aquaculture, fisheries, marine biotechnology and sustainable tourism. These islands have central location in the Indo-Pacific and therefore offer a strategic vantage point to India. The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around these islands is 5,83,884 Sq kms which is almost 30 per cent of India’s EEZ. The coastline of these islands measures 3083.5 km out of the total coastline of India, which is 11098.81 km as recently promulgated by the Government of India.
 

Author
S.N. Ghormade,
 Former Vice Chief of the Indian Navy with 39+ years of illustrious career, known for transformative leadership in Operations, Planning, Finance, Acquisitions, Strategy, Policy, Project management and Human resource development. 
 

DOI : https://doi.org/10.32381/JIOS.2025.33.02.1

Price: 101

Maritime Security in the Bay of Bengal Region

By: Suchitra Durai

Page No : 177-187

Author
Suchitra Durai,
Former Ambassador of India to Thailand & Former Joint Secretary (Sri Lanka,Maldives & Indian Ocean Region), Minsitry of External Affairs.
 

DOI : https://doi.org/10.32381/JIOS.2025.33.02.2

Price: 101

From Rivalry to Responsibility: Building Mutual Security in the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal Maritime Domain

By: Jagath Ranasinghe

Page No : 189-204

Author
Jagath Ranasinghe
was the Chief of Staff of Sri Lankan Navy.
 

DOI : https://doi.org/10.32381/JIOS.2025.33.02.3

Price: 101

The Bay of Bengal and Bangladesh

By: Anshu Joshi

Page No : 205-213

Abstract
In recent years, despite enhanced multilateral initiatives aimed at promoting global peace and security, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has persisted. Concurrently, a new front of warfare has emerged in the Levant region, where Israel and Hamas are engaged in a violent struggle. In the face of these global challenges and the intensified influence of lobby politics, the strategic significance of the Bay of Bengal continues to grow, both from a global and regional perspective concerning trade and security. This article, while considering the current geopolitical landscape, examines the strategic importance of the Bay of Bengal, the challenges it faces, and the positioning of various nations, with a particular emphasis on Bangladesh.

Author:
Anshu Joshi
is Faculty at Centre for the Study of the Americas, School of International Studies, JNU. Her expertise spans around security and defence studies, diplomacy, foreign policy and geo-politics.She has written over 200 articles and five books, and is a TV panellist on reputed news channels fordebates on global affairs.
 

DOI : https://doi.org/10.32381/JIOS.2025.33.02.4

Price: 101

Sri Lanka – A Security Provider in Bay of Bengal

By: Shyam Kumar

Page No : 215-227

Author
Shyam Kumar is a 35 years Naval Veteran with warship Captain and Aviation Naval Pilot instructor grading. He holds Master degree in Defence and Strategic Studies. He is a regular contributor to magazines, TV, AIR and digital media as a defense, strategic and international affairs analyst.
 

DOI : https://doi.org/10.32381/JIOS.2025.33.02.5

Price: 101

Navigating the Impact of Geopolitical Competition on India’s Maritime Security in the Bay of Bengal

By: Shantesh Kumar Singh , Brijesh Chandra Srivastava

Page No : 229-240

Abstract
This paper analyses how India’s maritime security strategy concerning the Bay of Bengal is changing in response to growing geopolitical rivalries, especially with China. The Bay of Bengal, an important route for global trade and regional integration, has become a contentious area for infrastructure spending, naval power projection, and geopolitical influence. China’s expanding influence,demonstrated by its naval patrols, port projects, and diplomatic outreach to Bay littoral nations supported by the Belt and Road Initiative, has forced India to reevaluate its maritime defences. India has strengthened its alliances with countries, such as Japan, Australia, and Southeast Asian nations, through intelligence cooperation and joint exercises, increased navy modernisation, and extended coastal surveillance networks to offset these trends. The study examines how emerging dangers like climate-induced coastal erosion interact with traditional issues like illegal fishing and smuggling, creating complex security challenges. It evaluates India’s efforts to balance regional cooperation with safeguarding its national security interests through institutional and policy reforms. To bolster crisis management frameworks, promote regional trust, and to develop collective security mechanisms in the Bay of Bengal, the paper places India’s strategic decisions within the broader context of Sino-Indian rivalry and multilateral frameworks such as BIMSTEC.

Authors:
Shantesh Kumar Singh is Professor, Centre for International Politics, Organisation and Disarmament, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Brijesh Chandra Srivastava is Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Deen Dyal Upadhyay College, University of Delhi, New Delhi.
 

DOI : https://doi.org/10.32381/JIOS.2025.33.02.6

Price: 101

Securitizing the Bay of Bengal: Assessing India’s Strategic Calculus in the Indo-Pacific Maritime Great Game

By: Urbi Das

Page No : 241-250

Author
Dr. Urbi Das is an assistant professor in the Department of International Relations, Jadavpur University.
 

DOI : https://doi.org/10.32381/JIOS.2025.33.02.7

Price: 101

Sri Lanka’s Strategic Calculus in Bay of Bengal Security, Trade, and Economic Cooperation

By: Thedini Herath , Shayan Peris

Page No : 251-267

Abstract
This paper examines Sri Lanka’s strategic calculus amid intensifying great power competition in the Bay of Bengal within the broader Indo-Pacific framework. Encompassing security, economic, and institutional dimensions, this study interrogates how Sri Lanka navigates complex bilateral dependencies to maintain strategic autonomy. Drawing upon contemporary small state theory, the research demonstrates how geographic positioning enables diplomatic leverage beyond structural constraints. The analysis reveals that Sri Lanka’s strategic autonomy operates through active management of transactional dependencies across India’s defence partnerships, China’s Belt and Road investments, and selective US maritime engagement. Key findings indicate that Sri Lanka operates within progressively narrowing margins. While Sri Lanka’s geographic position provides significant leverage, deepening technological and financial dependencies increasingly constrain strategic choices through infrastructure control and conditional financing arrangements.The study argues that sustained strategic relevance requires transitioning from transactional balancing toward institutionalised strategic management through dependency diversification and regional institutional engagement. This research contributes to small state theory by illuminating how geographic advantage provides strategic leverage while revealing constraints imposed by economic vulnerabilities in contested maritime environments.

Authors
Thedini Herath is a final year undergraduate student at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, majoring in BA (hons) in International Studies.
Shayan Peris is a graduate of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in The Netherlands, holding a B.Sc. in Political Science: Global Politics.
 

DOI : https://doi.org/10.32381/JIOS.2025.33.02.8

Price: 101

Regional News and Views

By: ..

Page No : 269-278

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Instruction to the Author

Readers are encouraged to contribute articles for the Journal of Indian Ocean Studies. A theme for each issue is decided three to four months in advance. Articles are expected to be aligned within the boundaries or generally connected to the theme. However, papers/articles related to aspects of maritime economy, maritime security, and geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific are always welcome. The following template/style is preferred.

Word Length: 3500-4000

Introduction to an Article: The preamble in an article could take the form of an ‘Introduction’ or ‘Background’. The author is free to divide the text either under Group Headings and Para Headings, or only Para Headings, or text without headings.

Citations. Authors are requested to follow the APC style guide, which is critical for maintaining the journal’s standards. Since JIOS is indexed in the UGC CARE list, adherence to these guidelines is essential in order to comply with UGC norms.

For details, visit the following website:-

https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/reference-examples.pdf

For amplification notes, search ‘Journal Article (Section 10.1)’ in the above site.

In simple terms, a citation within the body of the Article should have the surname, followed by their initials with the year of publication of the source in parenthesis. Citations are thereafter to be appended in the form of Footnotes.

Copyright/Plagiarism

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyrighted figures and tables before submission. Appropriate permissions must be included in the article, and the source must be clearly cited for each Table and Figure.

To enquire about the next Issue’s theme and for articles, the Managing Editor may be contacted at: managingeditor.jios@gmail.com

 

Every precaution is taken by the editors of the Journal of Indian Ocean Studies to guard against any violation of publication ethics by the contributors. To this end, the journal follows the following norms:

  1. Manuscript submitted by the contributor must be an original contribution not published earlier anywhere or in any form, 
  2. Any material or quotation from another author/source cited in the manuscript must be duly acknowledged. 
  3. No offensive language should be used by the contributors. In case, the manuscript or any part of it is found containing an offensive language or a phrase against diplomatic protocol towards any person, organisation or country, it will be outright rejected by the editors. 
  4. The authors will be solely responsible for the facts and figures mentioned in their articles.

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