Introduction

The Indian Ocean Region is defined as the region stretching from the Strait of Malacca and the western coast of Australia in the east to the Mozambique Channel in the west, the Persian Gulf, and the Arabian Sea in the north, ¹ and Amsterdam Island, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen (France), Heard Island, and McDonald Islands (Australia) in the south. However, as emphasised by Robert Kaplan in his work, the Indian Ocean Region is not only a geographical entity but a multidimensional geopolitical, economic, and socio-cultural concept, which “allows us to see this world rich in its traditions as a coherent whole.” ²