A Study of India and France in the Indian Ocean
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Abstract
The geography of young oceanic plates reflects cultural and economic linkages across the shores. These links facilitate trade and allow interaction between languages, literature, the arts, politics, religions, and habitats. These days, oceans serve as hubs for commerce routes, and resource exploration, and connect sea lanes of communication. They are essential to maintaining regional peace, prosperity, sustainable marine governance, and freedom of navigation. In this regard, the Indian Ocean assumes an important role across the given spectrums including an interesting one- geopolitical tug of war. Robert Kaplan foresaw the Indo-Pacific area as the “cockpit of future maritime rivalries” thanks to the new strategic narrative surrounding the region. As a result, some nations’ roles as significant players in the Indian Ocean have emerged. Various nation-states are coming up with their strategy for the Indo-Pacific pertaining to their individualistic requirements and assertions in world politics. It has become the center of academic research, international politics, statecraft, and diplomacy. With multiple regional organizations and minilateral formations like the QUAD, AUKUS, the Indian Ocean, and Indo-Pacific are now seeing more turbulent waters. The role of every nation-state is analyzed in depth to understand their future course of action in the waters of the Indian Ocean. Amongst the hefty presence of multiple actors like India, USA, Japan, UK, Germany, Australia, etc, one major actor remains to be analyzed in depth i.e. France.
The paper adopts descriptive and analytical research methods. It uses quantitative and qualitative data. Policies, strategy papers, etc are also used. Primary sources like ministries' briefs and data from international organizations are utilized. Secondary sources constitute journals and books.
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