1.1.2. India Ocean: People and Regions

♤ Home to nearly 2.7 billion people, states whose shores are washed by the ocean are rich in cultural diversity and richness in languages, religions, traditions, arts and cuisines.

♤ They vary considerably in terms of their areas, populations and levels of economic development.♤ More than eighty countries, organizations, and industry groups participate in operations in the IOR under the auspices of the ad hoc, voluntary Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS), created in January 2009 in response to UN Security Council Resolution 1851 on Somali piracy and armed robbery at sea.♤ During the Cold War days, India wanted that the major world powers should withdraw themselves from the Indian Ocean, presence of whom was actually a threat to India’s ideological inclination to the non-aligned movement.♤ Approximately 80 percent of India’s energy imports traverse through the Indian Ocean ♤ The Indian Ocean Region is one of India’s foremost policy priorities.Security and Growth for all in the region.