ABSTRACT

The chapters in this volume show the complexity of the maritime security environment in the Asia-Pacific region. Regional countries face many and varied maritime security challenges, 1 and have different priorities for dealing with them. Governments view the challenges according to their own particular national security perspective and threat perception. Some countries have a relatively benign view of the threats they face, but others, notably India, see themselves as a “threat attractor” confronted by many threats, including the unpredictable. 2 The problem is exacerbated because intelligence agencies are notoriously weak at predicting unforeseen developments that might have a major impact on security. Uncertainty is a clear theme running through many chapters, with authors identifying the possibility of new threats and challenges.