Publications
Western Indian Ocean: Where trouble on land spells danger at sea
Author(s): Francois Vreÿ, Mark BlaineDate of publication: 2020
Publication type: OP Eds
Piracy and smuggling are already a menace. Add a budding Islamist insurgency, and far-reaching implications may follow. South Africa may be facing an unholy mix of insurgency, radicalism and major power competition in the Western Indian Ocean. Much attention is given to the rivalry between major...
A third aircraft carrier for India: Budget versus necessity
Author(s): M MatheswaranDate of publication: 2020
Publication type: OP Eds
Concerns about cost overruns should be kept in perspective. The need for naval power projection is only growing. The Indian military is undergoing what may be its most significant reorganisation since India’s independence, with considerable implications for its future strategic posture. One...
The Strategic Implications of Manipulative Digital Platforms: A Trust-Driven Approach
Author(s): Dr. Zac RogersDate of publication: 2020
Publication type: Policy
Australia’s strategic environment is rapidly changing. The most measurable changes are shifts in the regional balance of power and intensifying competition for influence in the Indo-Pacific. These developments have been complicated and exacerbated by the uncertainty generated by the presidency of...
A China-Iran bilateral deal: Costs all around
Author(s): Jeffrey PayneDate of publication: 2020
Publication type: OP Eds
By Jeffrey Payne Beijing sees an opportunity in Tehran’s international isolation – but may not realise the tangle it is entering. Rumors circling about an impending major partnership between China and Iran seem to be accurate. A leaked draft of the agreement published by the New York Times in...
Tackling environmental security threats in the Indian Ocean
Author(s): David BrewsterDate of publication: 2020
Publication type: OP Eds
By David Brewster A “Quad-Plus” could bring together regional expertise and resources to address issues of collective interest. The explosion and fire on board a supertanker off Sri Lanka this month, following closely on last month’s disastrous oil spill in Mauritius, serve as a reminder that...
National Mobilisation During War: Past Insights, Future Possibilities
Author(s): Dr Peter LaytonDate of publication: 2020
Publication type: Policy
Publication download link Mobilisation occurs during all conflicts with just the degree of mobilisation varying. Surprisingly then, most mobilisation thinking, doctrine and processes focus almost entirely on pre-war mobilisation activities, aiming to ensure that a nation is adequately prepared for...
The delusion of India trying to throttle China’s maritime trade
Author(s): Sudarshan Y. ShrikhandeDate of publication: 2020
Publication type: OP Eds
Rowdy debates about going for China’s “jugular” in the Malacca Strait should not obscure the practical difficulties. By Sudarshan Y. Shrikhande The current phase of the Sino-Indian border conflict which began in May this year may go on for quite some time. India seems to be hunkering down for a...
Australia and Sri Lanka: Air connectivity in the Indian Ocean region
Author(s): George I. H. CookeDate of publication: 2020
Publication type: OP Eds
The success of the two countries’ naval cooperation shows the potential for expanded partnership. By George I. H. Cooke Australia and Sri Lanka’s recent experience working together to prevent people smuggling from Sri Lanka has been one of the more significant, and largely unreported, wins in...
Diego Garcia: The US has a clear choice
Author(s): Ambassador Jagdish KoonjulDate of publication: 2020
Publication type: OP Eds
The Mauritian ambassador to the UN on recognising the country’s sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. By Ambassador Jagdish Koonjul Publication link The National Security College (NSC) is leading a two-year research project on Australia’s Indo-Pacific strategy in the Indian Ocean. One of the...
India-China conflict: A move from the Himalayas to the high seas?
Author(s): David BrewsterDate of publication: 2020
Publication type: OP Eds
A risky naval blockade in the Indian Ocean is touted by some as a way to pressure China’s vital energy routes. By Dr David Brewster Last month’s clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh was the most significant conflict between the two countries since 1967. Despite signs of a partial...
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