Dr. R. Vignesh, Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), spoke on “A Decade of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region)” at the Monday Morning Meeting held on 23 December 2024. The session was chaired by Cmde. Abhay Kumar Singh (Retd.), Research Fellow, MP-IDSA. The MP-IDSA scholars and researchers participated in the discussion which included an in-depth analysis of the key developments of the SAGAR initiative since its unveiling in 2015. The concept of SAGAR enunciated India’s vision to tangibly increase cooperation, promote peaceful resolution of disputes and uphold international rules in the maritime domain.

Executive Summary

India’s positioning within the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) plays a crucial role in maintaining the regional security structure and facilitating global trade in this maritime region. India’s evolving perception on the IOR has shaped the SAGAR doctrine unveiled by Prime Minister Modi in 2015. First, it underlines India’s identification of security as a fundamental precursor for achieving economic growth and stability in the IOR. Second, it highlights the need for India to project its image as a reliable security provider in the IOR. Third, it underscores the need for bringing about collective solutions for common security challenges in the IOR through the enhancement of regional cooperation. Fourth, SAGAR seeks to integrate India’s IOR strategy with its broader outlook for the Indo-Pacific region. India is advocating for a ‘free and open’ maritime space encompassing of both the IOR and the Western Pacific. In order to achieve this, India has recognised the importance of engaging with the ASEAN. Finally, the SAGAR outlook also recognises the scope of partnering with extra-regional powers to address the wide spectrum of security challenges in the IOR.

Detailed Report:

The session commenced with opening remarks from Cmde. Abhay Kumar Singh (Retd.), regarding the growing geopolitical and economic significance of the IOR. He highlighted that due to the India’s central position in the IOR, it has the responsibility to ensure the security and stability of this important maritime space. He described the SAGAR initiative, which was unveiled by Prime Minister Modi in 2015 as India’s holistic vision towards the IOR.

Following this, Dr. R. Vignesh began his presentation by describing Prime Minister Modi’s historic visits to Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka in March 2015 during which he unveiled the SAGAR initiative. Dr.Vignesh highlighted that the vision of SAGAR was not enunciated in the form of a strategic doctrine or policy document, but it was rather presented in the form of concise strategic directives embedded in the Keynote Address delivered by PM Modi in Mauritius. He stated that the geostrategic salience of these directives has been further highlighted by the timing, place and occasion on which this keynote address was delivered. Dr. Vignesh stated that the SAGAR was unveiled in a time when the reinvigoration of bilateral relations with its maritime neighbours was long overdue. He further stated that the unveiling of SAGAR in Mauritius presented an impression of it being a collective vision for the IOR rather than a Delhi-centric outlook. He also highlighted that SAGAR was unveiled during the commissioning ceremony of an Indian-built Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) named Barracuda into the Mauritius Coast Guard. This was the first warship built by India for export based on the requirements of the buyer nation which in this case was Mauritius. He opined that the unveiling of SAGAR on this occasion also indicated the arrival of India’s technical prowess at a stage from where it can independently cater to the security requirements of its maritime neighbours.

Dr. Vignesh elucidated some of the core ideas of the SAGAR initiative that had been expressed through the Prime Minister’s Keynote Address in Mauritius. First, SAGAR recognises security as a fundamental precursor to achieving economic growth and stability in the region. In this context, it espouses the primacy of the navy in India’s Indian Ocean Strategy. Second, SAGAR highlights the need for India to project its image as a reliable security provider to its smaller maritime neighbours in the IOR. Third, SAGAR lays emphasis on envisaging collective solutions for common security challenges. Hence, this outlook advocates for the enhancement of India’s engagement with other littoral states through regional intuitions and mechanisms. Fourth, SAGAR seeks to integrate India’s IOR strategy with its broader outlook for the Indo-Pacific region. India is advocating for a ‘free and open’ maritime space encompassing both the IOR and the Western Pacific. Finally, SAGAR acknowledges the scope of India partnering with extra-regional powers to ensure security and stability in the Indian Ocean.

Dr. Vignesh stated that these core ideas of SAGAR have not emerged in a vacuum but are a manifestation of a cumulative thought process that has consistently evolved since India’s independence. He brought out that even before Independence, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Professor K.M.Panikkar in their respective books TheDiscovery of India and India and the Indian Ocean: An Essay on the Influence of Sea Power on Indian History had pragmatically envisaged the critical role of the IOR in shaping the future of an Independent India. He stated that in spite of such a pragmatic vision enunciated by our first Prime Minister, in the ensuing decades after our independence the focus on the IOR and building our naval capabilities was not prioritised due to the preponderance of economic constraints and continental threats that threatened our nation at that time. He stated that during the 1970s, India’s policy on the IOR was entirely shaped by its unequivocal support for Sri Lanka’s call for establishing the region as a zone of peace. This initiative called for an international agreement that would fully prohibit the establishment of military bases and deployment of naval assets by extra-regional powers in the IOR. Dr. Vignesh stated that the 1980s was a period when India began to disassociate itself from the ‘zone of peace’ concept and started to adopt a more pragmatic vision of the Indian Ocean. He brought out key speeches by prominent Indian parliamentarians who espoused the need for India to adopt a security-oriented approach for the IOR. He also described the 2004 Tsunami as an important event that highlighted the need for India to partner with extra-regional powers to address the non-military security challenges of the Indian Ocean. He stated that the SAGAR doctrine essentially encapsulates India’s cumulative thought process shaped by various factors since independence.

Dr. Vignesh further underlined the five pillars of SAGAR and explained how they have influenced India’s engagement in the IOR:

Pillar I espouses undertaking security oriented engagements and initiatives underpinned by naval capability for securing India’s national interests in the IOR. In this context, Dr. Vignesh highlighted that the Indian Navy’s military role is guided by its efforts to become the ‘First Responder’ to crises in the Indian Ocean. He further stated that the Indian Navy’s diplomatic role is guided by its efforts to project itself as a ‘Preferred Security Partner’ to the littoral nations of the Indian Ocean. He stated that the Indian Navy’s constabulary role under SAGAR is guided by its efforts to become a ‘Key Stakeholder’ in the maritime governance of the Indian Ocean.

Pillar II advocates for the deepening of India’s bilateral security engagement with its maritime neighbours with a special focus on building their maritime security capabilities. Dr. Vignesh stated that SAGAR has influenced our bilateral security cooperation with these nations centering on three key aspects. First, there is exclusive focus on envisaging mutual threat perceptions on security issues like terrorism, piracy and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) issues. Second, there is a focus on strengthening perceptions of mutual reliability and utility through the provision or gifting of assets to enhance bilateral partners’ capability. Third, there is emphasis on building consensus for establishing a permanent framework for deeping security cooperation on certain key areas.

Pillar III espouses the enhancement of India’s regional maritime security cooperation with other littoral states of the IOR. Dr. Vignesh highlighted that India has joined or initiated 36 plurilateral groups in different domains, all of which have a direct relevance to the future of the Indian Ocean.

Pillar IV advocates for India to assume a leading role in harnessing the potential of the blue economy in the IOR. Dr. Vignesh stated that India has adopted a dual line of effort for promoting the blue economy in the IOR based on harnessing internal potential and bolstering regional potential.

Pillar V calls for India to increase its engagement with extra-regional powers to create a climate of trust and transparency while also coordinating in addressing the security issues of the region. Dr. Vignesh highlighted that in the last few years India has established a number of initiatives and mechanisms with extra-regional powers like the US and the EU for facilitating cooperation with them on security issues in the Indian Ocean.

Dr. Vignesh also highlighted some of the challenges that need to be addressed for the effective implementation of the SAGAR initiative. First, he pointed to the absence of a dedicated strategic doctrine for SAGAR that impairs the effective and coordinated implementation of the various initiatives envisaged under the outlook. He also pointed out the lack of collated data available on the various initiatives and funds used under the aegis of the SAGAR initiative. He underscored the need for bridging the political differences between the Central Government and Coastal States for implementing various SAGAR initiatives. He also highlighted the need for strengthening strategic communications for enhancing the effectiveness of India’s soft power projection across the IOR. Dr. Vignesh concluded his presentation by stating that SAGAR has succeeded in steering India’s towards a maritime-centric outlook for shaping its own national perspective and guiding its strategic engagement with the IOR.

The session concluded after an insightful exchange of views between scholars during the Q&A session.

This report was prepared by Mr. Abhigyan Raktim Duarah, Intern, Europe and Eurasia Centre, MP-IDSA, New Delhi.