Risks of Maritime Entanglement between India and Pakistan in the Indian Ocean Region: A Need for Maritime Confidence Building Measures

Abstract

The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has emerged as a central point of strategic competition between India and Pakistan in the backdrop of evolving geopolitical dynamics. This study investigates the unique maritime challenges posed by both states’ modernising naval military capabilities, with India asserting its control over Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) and securing vital trade routes and Pakistan seeking to protect its core strategic interests in the IOR. Although both states have historically engaged in various Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs), the maritime domain remains largely unaddressed in their bilateral security frameworks. This paper aims to identify the specific triggers of potential maritime entanglement and Pakistan’s security dilemma that may arise from India’s expanding naval capabilities. Against this backdrop, the study proposes four maritime CBMs that may likely address emerging security challenges in contested areas of the IOR.