Book Description

The essay on the Indian Ocean Region traces the history of the Indian Ocean from the early period of the Persian, Arab and the Roman era, to the arrival of the Europeans in the fifteenth century, and the emergence of the British as the leading power in the eighteenth century till their withdrawal in 1968. The importance of the Indian Ocean as a trade link between the Mediterranean and the Pacific Ocean. The economic and strategic importance of the region has been highlighted in the paper with particular reference to 'oil' and 'minerals' for the industralized world leading to superpower rivalry. The key problem areas such as South Africa with its policy of apartheid the Palestinian problem leading to Arab-Israeli wars, the Iraq-Iran war dividing the Muslim world and the occupation of Afghanistan by the Soviet troops leading to regional conflicts and superpower involvement have been discussed. The paper discusses the regional perspectives and the need for a discussed. The paper discusses the regional perspectives and the need for a new strategic consensus in the region in the hope of furthering regional cooperation leading to reduction of tension and superpower involvement. (Author).