Geopolitics
A Sea of Words, An Ocean of Peril: The Hollow Promise of Indian Ocean 'Stewardship'
The 9th Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius emphasized 'collective stewardship' amidst a region increasingly marred by major power assertions and vulnerabilities, from undersea cable security to the aftermath of conflicts like the US sinking of an Iranian frigate. This proliferation of regional institutions like SAARC, BIMSTEC, and IORA has tragically failed smaller states like Sri Lanka, offering dialogue but no tangible protection, leaving them dangerously exposed to the very perils these forums were meant to mitigate.
