{"id":64618,"date":"2021-05-15T02:06:23","date_gmt":"2021-05-15T02:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=64618"},"modified":"2021-05-15T02:06:23","modified_gmt":"2021-05-15T02:06:23","slug":"significance-of-the-indian-ocean-region-for-australia-by-arundathie-abeysinghe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/significance-of-the-indian-ocean-region-for-australia-by-arundathie-abeysinghe\/","title":{"rendered":"Significance of the Indian Ocean Region for Australia By Arundathie Abeysinghe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Significance of the Indian Ocean Region for Australia<\/b><\/span><\/h1>\n

By Arundathie Abeysinghe<\/b><\/span><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Ms.At present, oceans play a significant role in trade as well as commerce. The Indian Ocean is the world\u2019s third largest body of water with approximately 50% of trade traversing the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Approximately, 50% of the world\u2019s container traffic passes through the IOR, two thirds of the world\u2019s maritime oil shipment, approximately one-third of bulk cargo transport and about 30% of world trade is also handled in the ports of this region. IOR comprises 38 littoral states, 24 ocean territories and 17 landlocked countries, including the hinterland and landlocked states of East Africa that utilize the Indian Ocean for trading and commercial purposes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Indian Ocean is a vital conduit for global trade as well as it is home to many fast developing economies of the world. The Indian Ocean has strategic, political and economic significance for the whole world and it is a hub of natural resources with numerous significant minerals such as gold (about 80% of the world extraction of gold), manganese, nickel as well as marine food.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Regional security environment is a challenging issue due to strategic competition in the broader Indo-Pacific region as well as due to non-traditional threats; transnational crime, irregular maritime migration, piracy, terrorism, armed robbery at sea and illegal fishing, major issues that need to be addressed at present.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Significance<\/p>\n

The economy of Australia depends on free as well as secure passage of maritime trade through the Indian Ocean. As the countries of the Indian Ocean rim are the neighbors, trade and security partners of Australia, it is necessary to maintain regional security and prosperity. Hence, it is crucial for Australia to have a secure, stable as well as interconnected Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific region to maintain the country\u2019s national security and prosperity. Therefore, Australia works in collaboration with regional partners in the Indian Ocean to overcome these issues.<\/span><\/p>\n

Defense cooperation, strengthening regional organizations, playing a major role in international endeavors to address piracy, combat illegal fishing as well as drug trafficking are areas where Australia is working closely with its regional neighbors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, according to the *United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Australia has jurisdiction over an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) which extends up to a distance of 200 *nautical miles from the Australian coast. According to UNCLOS, Australia has sovereign rights to explore living and non-living natural resources of the waters and seabed as well as for other economic activity in its EEZ. This area includes waters surrounding Christmas Island (located 987 kilometers from *Northwest Cape, the closest point on the Australian mainland, 2,623 kilometers from Perth and 350 kilometers south of *Java Head) and Cocos (Keeling) Islands (located 2,768 kilometers north-west of Perth, 3,785 kilometers west of Darwin), the Indian Ocean territories of Australia that are strategically located in the Indian Ocean, a significant and strategic theatre.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Significance<\/p>\n

These islands are strategically located on Australia\u2019s north western maritime approaches; situated in close proximity to vital sea lanes which include Australia\u2019s key export routes, Western Australia and North and East Asia. Hence, maritime security in the sea routes which pass in close proximity to Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands is significant for Australia\u2019s economy to combat maritime threat that originate from Southwest and Southeast Asia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n