Situating Africa in the Indo-Pacific construct the Role of India and External Powers

About the Monograph

From an African perspective, literature on maritime security and the Indo-Pacific is very limited. Any discussion on Africa’s inclusion and role in the Indo-Pacific discourse is at a nascent stage. The maritime security aspects and challenges facing African countries situated in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region have thus far not been adequately explored in the existing literature. The scholarly debates and international responses have tended to focus mostly on piracy in African waters. Piracy has sensitised both Africa and the international community to the threats off Africa, but it has also skewed perceptions about Africa’s maritime landscape. Despite that, maritime security in an African context has been increasingly assuming prominence in the African security agenda. This monograph studies, analyses, and highlights the imperative for African countries in the WIO region to integrate themselves and play a constructive role in the emerging Indo-Pacific debate. It also attempts to find out the ways through which African countries in the WIO region could benefit by developing common positions on the Indo-Pacific based on shared interests and principles. Such a study is important because multilateralism matters for African states as it gives them the best chance to pool resources and ideas to influence global decisions and ensure that their voices are factored in discussions that have a bearing on the continent’s growth and development.

About the Author

Dr. Abhishek Mishra is Associate Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. His research focuses on India and China’s engagement in Africa, aimed at developing partnerships under the framework of South-South cooperation, including a specific focus on maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region. Abhishek holds a PhD in African Studies from the Department of African Studies, University of Delhi. His PhD thesis is titled “India’s Maritime Cooperation with African Countries in Western Indian Ocean Region.” Abhishek has given a lecture at Naval War College, Goa for the Naval Higher Commander Course on the theme “West IOR Island Nations and East Africa: Politico-Economic Perspective.” He has also participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), sponsored by the United States Department of State on the theme “Enhancing Regional Maritime Governance and Cooperation in the QUAD” in October, 2022. He also participated in the Paris Defence Young Leaders programme from 12-16 June 2023, hosted by the Institute for Strategic Research (IRSEM), a research institute of the French Ministry of Armed Forces. Before joining MP-IDSA, Abhishek was working on African issues at the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.