India’s growing maritime opportunities with Indonesia: Room for development in diplomacy and capability building

ABSTRACT

India’s maritime philosophy has been clearly outlined in both literature, and practice. From a defensive realist perspective, India’s approach to the high seas has brought home various advantages and elevated the country to the status of a major naval power in its region. Despite this prowess, in view of the globalised times and dynamically changing geopolitical scenarios unfolding to its East, India’s interpretation, methods of evaluation, and implementation of its policies, all need to evolve. This paper sheds light on the growing strategic importance-of the South East Asian Regional Complex, as also on the developmental vacuum in this Regional Complex, with specific focus upon Indonesia. The authors aim to address two fundamental questions —“How should India’s relations with Indonesia evolve?”, and, “In what manner should it evolve?”. Indonesia’s role in India’s maritime objectives is a central one and the evolving variables in India’s defensive realist approach places this South East Asian country right at the core of New Delhi’s interests.

KEYWORDS:

• India
• Indonesia
• South East Asia
• maritime diplomacy
• maritime Strategy

Notes on contributors

Japish S. Gill is a Bachelor's Student at Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University-School of Liberal Studies, majoring in International Relations. His areas of interest are Indian Foreign Policy, Maritime Affairs, Nuclear Policy, and Asian Geopolitics.

Ryan Mitra is a Bachelor's Student at Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University-School of Liberal Studies, majoring in International Relations. His areas of interest are Indian Foreign Policy, Maritime Affairs, Nuclear Policy, and International Law.

ORCID

Ryan Mitra http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2932-8259

Notes

1 Japish S. Gill and Ryan Mitra, “India’s Indo-Pacific Strategy: Understanding India’s Spheres of Influence,” Sigma Iota Rho Journal of International Relations, July 5 2018, http://www.sirjournal.org/research/2018/7/5/indias-indo-pacific-strategy-understanding-indias-spheres-of-influence (accessed August 12, 2018).

2 Indian Navy, “Ensuring Secure Seas: Indian Maritime Security Strategy,” Naval Strategic Publication, NSP 1, no. 2 (October 2015): 32.

3 Jonah Blank et al., “How is India’s Strategy Being Implemented in Southeast Asia,” in Look East, Cross Black Waters: India’s Interest in Southeast Asia (RAND Corporation, 2015), 123.

4 Iis Gindarsah and Adhi Priamarizki, “Indonesia’s Maritime Doctrine and Security Concerns,” Policy Report (2015), S Rajaratnam School of International Studies Singapore, 13.

5 Dewi Fortuna Anwar, “The Emergence of Indonesia’s Ocean Policy. RSIS Commentary,” Commentary (2018), S Rajaratnam School of International Studies Singapore, 03.

6 Ibid.

7 Chietigj Bajpaee, “China-India Regional Dimensions of the Bilateral Relationship,” Strategic Quarterly 9, no. 4 (WINTER 2015): 131.

8 Gill and Mitra, “India’s Indo-Pacific Strategy”.

9 Jonah Blank et al., “What is India’s Strategy towards Southeast Asia?” in Look East, Cross Black Waters: India’s Interest in Southeast Asia, (RAND Corporation, 2015), 67–68.

10 Indian Navy, “Ensuring Secure Seas,” 37.

11 Dhiana Puspitawati, “Urgent Need for National Maritime Security Arrangement in Indonesia: Towards Global Maritime Fulcrum,” 14 Indonesian J. Int'l L. 321 (2017): 328.

12 Ibid.

13 ICC International Maritime Bureau, “Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships,” Annual Report (2017), 6.

14 Ibid., 21.

15 Ibid.

16 Prashanth Parameswaran, “India-Indonesia Maritime Patrols Kick off,” The Diplomat, October 28, 2017, https://thediplomat.com/2017/10/india-indonesia-maritime-patrols-kick-off/ (accessed September 13, 2018).

17 Blank, et al., “How is India’s Strategy Being Implemented in Southeast Asia,” 130.

18 Gindarsah and Priamarizki, “Indonesia’s Maritime Doctrine and Security Concerns,” 12.

19 Press Information Bureau, “Government Takes Measures to Deal with Sea-Piracy,” Ministry of Shipping, Government of India, March 12, 2015, http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=116897 (accessed August 17, 2018).

20 Press Information Bureau, “Indian Navy respond to Piracy Attack on Foreign Merchant Vessel in Gulf of Aden,” Ministry of Defense, Government of India, April 9, 2017, http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=160756 (accessed August 17, 2018).

21 Blank, et al., “What is India’s Strategy towards Southeast Asia?” 68.

22 Ibid.

23 ICC International Maritime Bureau, “Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships,” 6.

24 Kanupriya Kapoor, “Aftershock jolts Indonesia’s Lombok as death toll jumps to 259.” Reuters, August 9, 2018, World News section, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-quake/aftershock-jolts-indonesias-lombok-as-death-toll-jumps-to-259-idUSKBN1KU0HZ (accessed August 15, 2018).

25 Devirupa Mitra, “Indonesia Told India Its Quest to Join Malacca Strait Patrols Isn't Feasible,” The Wire, May 31, 2018, https://thewire.in/diplomacy/india-indonesia-malacca-strait-patrol (accessed September 13, 2018).

26 Ministry of External Affairs, “Shared Vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific,” Government of India, May 30, 2018, http://www.mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/29933/Shared_Vision_of_IndiaIndonesia_Maritime_Cooperation_in_the_IndoPacific (accessed August 17, 2018).

27 Gindarsah and Priamarizki, “Indonesia’s Maritime Doctrine and Security Concerns,” 12.

28 Blank, et al., “How is India’s Strategy Being Implemented in Southeast Asia,” 132.

29 Prashanth Parameswaran, “What’s Next for China-Indonesia Military Ties?” The Diplomat, July 31, 2018, https://thediplomat.com/2018/07/whats-next-for-china-indonesia-military-ties/ (accessed August 15, 2018)

30 Ministry of External Affairs, “Shared Vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.”

31 Blank, et al., “What is India’s Strategy towards Southeast Asia?” 68.

32 Anwar, “The Emergence of Indonesia’s Ocean Policy. RSIS Commentary,” 01.

33 Ibid.

34 Vibhanshu Shekhar and Joseph Chinyong Liow, “Indonesia as a Maritime Power: Jokowi’s Vision, Strategies, and Obstacles Ahead,” Brookings, November 7, 2014, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/indonesia-as-a-maritime-power-jokowis-vision-strategies-and-obstacles-ahead/ (accessed).

35 Ministry of External Affairs, “Shared Vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.”

36 C. Raja Mohan and Ankush Ajay Wagle, “India and Indonesia: Constructing a Maritime Partnership,” ISAS Insights, no. 495 (14 June 2018): 8.

37 Embassy of India Jakarta, “Indonesia welcomes Indian investment,” Ministry of External Affairs of India, May 29, 2015, https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/CountryNews/4373_INDONESIA_WELCOMES_INDIAN_INVESTMENT_-_INDIA_BUSINESS_FORUM_MEMBERS_INTERACT_WITH_THE_MINISTER_OF_MANPOWER_OF_INDONESIA.pdf (accessed August 17, 2018).

38 Ministry of External Affairs, “Shared Vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.”

39 Puspitawati, “Urgent Need for National Maritime Security Arrangement in Indonesia,” 331.

40 Gill and Mitra, “India’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.”

41 Press Trust of India, “India, Indonesia sign 15 strategic pacts, including one on defence ties,” Business Standard, May 30, 2018, Economy & Policy, https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/india-indonesia-sign-15-strategic-pacts-including-one-on-defence-ties-118053001267_1.html (accessed August 16, 2018).

42 Press Information Bureau, “India–Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT),” Ministry of Defence, Government of India, June 6, 2018, http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=179826 (accessed August 15, 2018).

43 Gill and Mitra, “India’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.”