Legal Order and Maritime Connectivity in the Indian Ocean: Port Diplomacy, Regional Security and Development

Abstract

This study examines why major ports in the north-western Indian Ocean act as both instruments of development infrastructure and strategic triggers for securitisation, despite being primarily perceived as commercial infrastructure. The study establishes three propositions using the conceptual lens of Regional Security Complex Theory (RSCT). First, ports governed by clear, multilateral agreements are more likely to lead to cooperative security outcomes. Second, large-scale, bilateral, and opaque port investments generate asymmetric dependence, increasing the likelihood of balancing and securitisation. Third, dual-use infrastructure that can be used for both military and civilian purposes strengthens securitisation unless it is balanced by verifiable confidence-building measures (CBMs). The paper primarily argues that publicly verifiable legal restrictions on military use reduce uncertainty costs; however, they do not eliminate strategic interpretation when dual-use potential persists. Publishable and enforceable contract clauses, along with regularly verifiable port-use guarantees, are the least costly mechanism for preserving development gains while slowing regional security spirals. The findings suggest that governance modality, i.e., multilateral versus bilateral and opaque arrangements, is a key factor explaining differences between stabilising interdependence and cooperative securitisation.