Muscle-flexing on seas

The high seas of the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea are set to see some great muscle-flexing of major naval forces in the region. The joining of hands by Iran, China and Russia to showcase their blue-water prowess and that too with warships and aviation is a message of realpolitik. The primary intention, however, is to boost the dynamics of maritime economic activity in a region that is marred by chaos and crisis in the wake of the US meddling in the Middle East, furthering the brief of otherness that the three naval forces in drill hold for the superpower. With Russian, Chinese and Iranian artillery-laden vessels going full blown to impress the region, and link their economic strengths with geopolitical aspirations, it is indeed a mosaic of neo-alignment.

These naval exercises will come to buoy Iranian stance in the region, and make it categorically clear that it has Beijing and Moscow in its flanks. Secondly, the increasing volume of trade activity between the troikas is cementing an economic alliance of sorts and, likewise, fomenting indispensable militaristic amalgamations as all of these states are irked by extra-territorial involvement in the region in the form of US Centcom in the waters of Qatar, and the wayward QUAD and AUKUS. But as part of articulation, the three stakeholders have invited India, Pakistan, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Oman as observers, making it crystal clear that these exercises are not against any one of these maritime entities, and do not contain an element of domination.

The exercises called ‘Maritime Security Belt — 2024’ must go a step ahead and lay down some simple do’s and don’ts for the region. The prime message should be that international waters are open for all, and any attempt to re-colonise them will be deterred. Similarly, the strategic straits such as Hormuz, Suez, Red Sea and Mediterranean be made accessible for merchant navigation and freed from stationing of military vessels. The mushrooming role of non-state actors at the helm of their benefactors must be stemmed too.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2024.

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