Student Research

The Indian Ocean's history and its prospects of a unified region

The Indian Ocean region has a rich history of trade, migration, and cooperation, creating world-systems within the region through the use of the monsoon winds and sail. This is, however, contrasted to the Indian Ocean of today, which has become the single most important ocean for global trade but also a region of volatility. While the Indian Ocean oversees over half of the world's oil production and its transportation, it also sees around half of the world's conflicts along with a plethora of security issues that overflow into the maritime realm. These issues could possibly be better addressed through a more unified Indian Ocean region, where they can be shared and solved under a single cause. The concept of a unified Indian Ocean would be a challenge to behold, but there are aspects that are shared among the nations along the rim that could bring them together for their greater good.

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