ABU DHABI Mar 2010 United Arab Emirates hosts third Indian Ocean Naval Symposium 

The third Indian Ocean Naval Symposium comes at a time when regional super-powers India and China are vying for more presence in an area stretching from Gulf of Aden to the Malacca Straits. The meeting is a cornerstone of the Indian Navy's aim to increase its influence in the region. Twenty-six littoral countries of the Indian Ocean comprise this pan-Asian maritime security forum. The meeting could upset the Arab world: Pakistan argues that IONS is grouped against the Islamic world.

The United States policy makers have shown an interest in the ONS forum. Robert Kaplan argues in his March/April 2009 article, “Center Stage for the 21st Century,” published in the Foreign Affairs journal, that India and China might have a greater rivalry in controlling the Indian Ocean for the better part of the 21st Century, with Washington acting as a moderator. India's courtship of new Indian Ocean defense allies, such as Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar, aims to counter China’s “String of Pearls Strategy.” China plans to surround India by building deep water ports in Pakistan’s Gwadar City in Baluchistan province and in Sri Lanka’s southern tip of Hambantota.

The host, the United Arab Emirates, is increasing its Navy and it wants to want to protect its interests in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. Earlier this year a contract was announced by the UAE Armed Forces and Abu Dhabi Ship Building ADSB to build 12 new vessels for the UAE Navy and retrofit 12 existing vessels. There are strong indications that a permanent secretariat of IONS might be set up in Abu Dhabi.

The first IONS forum was held in New Delhi on 14-15 Feb 2008, with the second in Sri Lanka on 21-22 May 2009. Oct/09

ARTICLE SUPPLIED BY NEWSAHEAD CORRESPONDENT C.BALAJI, WHO IS AVAILABLE FOR FREELANCE ASSIGNMENTS IN INDIA AND THE REGION. email: mohanbalaji20032004@yahoo.co.in

RELATED READING:

Abu Dhabi to host Indian Ocean Naval Meet in March (Financial Express 3 Oct 2009)
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/abu-dhabi-to-host-indian-ocean-naval-meet-in-march/524343/

Center Stage for the 21st Century (Foreign Affairs, March/April 2009)
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/64832/robert-d-kaplan/center-stage-for-the-21st-century

Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (Indian Navy)
http://indiannavy.nic.in/ion.htm

China`s ghost hovers over naval symposium (Business Standard 18 Feb 2008)
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National Maritime Foundation
(http://www.maritimeindia.org

Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS): Where from…Whither-Bound? (Institute of Defense Strategic Analysis, 22 Feb 2008)
http://www.idsa.in/publications/stratcomments/gurpreetkhurana220208.htm