Indian Ocean Research Group
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The Indian Ocean Research Group Inc. (IORG) is an Indian Ocean Regional academic network. The key objective of IORG is to initiate a policy-oriented dialogue, in the true spirit of partnership, among governments, industries, NGOs and communities, towards realizing a shared, peaceful, stable and prosperous future for the Indian Ocean region. IORG is currently based at the University of Adelaide, and Curtin University, Australia, South Asian University, New Delhi and Panjab University, Chandigarh, but members come from all across the world.
The key objective of the Indian Ocean Research Group Inc. is to initiate a policy-oriented dialogue, in the true spirit of partnership, among governments, industries, NGOs and communities, towards realizing a shared, peaceful, stable and prosperous future for the Indian Ocean region.
The Indian Ocean possesses considerable and often underrated geopolitical significance if only because of its operation as a highway. Given its relative location and the fact that it provides a relatively short and economic link between the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans it is perhaps not surprising that, not only does the Ocean account for the transportation of the highest tonnage of commodities in the world, but that more than three-quarters of this is extra-regional trade. The uninhibited maintenance of Ocean routes and associated choke points is especially significant for the movement of commodities, especially oil, to Northeast Asia, Western Europe and North America.
The Indian Ocean is known to contain natural resources, the significance of which has yet to be fully determined. The Indian Ocean Marine Affairs Cooperation Archived 25 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine (IOMAC) grouping, for example, has already been involved for several years in issues associated with the management of the Indian Ocean tuna fishery. The exploitation of these resources, among others, in the context of the delimitation of exclusive economic zones requires careful monitoring and inter-state collaboration.
Maintaining the integrity of the regional environment is one of the most important common interests of Indian Ocean states. Monitoring and managing the environmental impacts of human activity on the Ocean is essential to the maintenance of the living resources of the Ocean, for example. Environmental security issues are extremely diverse, ranging from, for example, an industrial partner's need to secure access to resources for investment purposes, to a specific community's need to secure access to healthy and sustainable sources of food, water and shelter. Fostering inter-state cooperation in order to maximize positive management to minimize environmental insecurity is an important policy goal.
For the maintenance of the peace and stability of the Indian Ocean Region, it is of the utmost importance that regional, coastal, island, and landlocked states become aware of the geopolitical orientations of one another and of Indian Ocean neighbours.
The description, collation and analysis of such orientations and their assistance in the maximization of regional transparency regarding regional state goals and intentions is among IORG's key objectives.
Objectives
IORG Inc. has seven principal objectives:
1. To encourage research on geopolitical, economic, socio-cultural, environmental, scientific and technological issues relevant to the Indian Ocean Region.
2. To promote dialogue on the peaceful uses and ecologically sustainable development of maritime resources based on the principle of Common Heritage.
3. To foster interstate cooperation in the sustainable management of ocean resources and the peaceful resolution of maritime disputes.
4. To ensure a holistic discourse on the human and environmental security of the Region among its states, peoples and communities.
5. To contribute to an understanding of the causes as well as the effects of a wide range of non-traditional regional security threats.
6. To facilitate information flow and discussion on international maritime regimes and the rights of states and local communities representing the Indian Ocean Region.
7. To initiate informed policy debate among governments, NGOs, business groups, academics, and other stakeholders in the Indian Ocean Region on issues of common concern.
Current Research Projects
Building an Indian Ocean Region (Australian Research Council funded project)
ARC Discovery Project, 2012 – 2015 Discovery (Project 120101166, $378,000) administered by the University of Adelaide.
Chief Investigators: Prof. Timothy Doyle (the University of Adelaide); Prof. Dennis Rumley (Curtin University); Prof. Sanjay Chaturvedi (Panjab University); Prof. Clive Schofield (the University of Wollongong); Prof. Mohamed Salih (the University of Rotterdam; and Prof. Kanishka Jayasuriya (the University of Adelaide).
The project critically analyses (re)emergent and contested regionalisms in an area of global geo-strategic political concern and one of great and increasing significance: the Indian Ocean Region. It documents current attempts at building pan and sub-regional identities and institutions – with particular reference to the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), currently the most ambitious region-building venture. Non-traditional security approaches will be particularly investigated as means of building bridges and creating regional dialogues. Finally, the project analyses how various notions of regionalism can be used to facilitate the process of ‘building’ an Indian Ocean region.
Aims of the Research:
• Initiate research on geopolitical, economic, socio-cultural, environmental, scientific and technological issues relevant to the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
• Promote dialogue on the peaceful uses and ecologically sustainable development of maritime resources based on the principle of common heritage
• Foster inter-state cooperation on the sustainable management of ocean resources and the peaceful resolution of maritime disputes
• Ensure a holistic discourse on the human and environmental security of IOR among its states, peoples and communities
• Contribute to an understanding of the causes as well as the effects of a wide range of non-traditional IOR security threats, specifically including the "Blue Economy" agenda
• Facilitate information flow and discussion on international maritime regimes and the rights of states and local communities representing the IOR
• Encourage informed policy debate among governments, NGOs, business groups, academics and other stakeholders in the IOR on issues of common concern.
Research Themes:
1 Constructing Indian Ocean Regionalism
2 Traditional security in the Indian Ocean Region
3 Human Security
4 Economic and Resource Security
5 Maritime Security
6 Environmental Security