Seychelles’ calibrated approach towards maritime dependency – Observer Research Foundation

Evolving geopolitics in the Indian Ocean continues to be analysed through the prism of great power politics. With the Indian Ocean emerging as a prominent strategic theatre shaping global geopolitics, several major powers have directed their attention towards the region. Major global powers have increasinglyaccorded priority to the Indian Ocean region given that it houses major shipping lanes facilitating free flow of trade, as well as marine resources. Naturally, the imperative to securitise the region has followed. This has prompted contest among major powers with critical strategic interests in the region. Major powers in the region like India, the United States (US), and China, with their substantial military capabilities bandwidth have naturally assumed salience in shaping the maritime security architecture in the Indian Ocean.

However, it is important to shift the focus on small island states in the region to probe how these countries view the evolving geopolitical churns in the Indian Ocean. Firstly, a distinction needs to be drawn between small island countries and other major powers vis--vis their stakes in the maritime spaces in the Indian Ocean. While it is true that major powers have increasingly enhanced their stakes in the region by way of being engaged in the bourgeoning trade and security networks that flow through the region, their compulsions appear to be only strategic in nature. On the contrary, small island countries have stakes in the Indian Ocean by virtue of their locational presence. The strategic and security compulsions of small island countries are evidently shaped by their maritime identity. Therefore, they tend to be deeply impacted by the changing geopolitical equations in their maritime periphery. This further prompts the need to probe how small island states approach their maritime geography.

A distinction needs to be drawn between small island countries and other major powers vis--vis their stakes in the maritime spaces in the Indian Ocean. While it is true that major powers have increasingly enhanced their stakes in the region by way of being engaged in the bourgeoning trade and security networks that flow through the region, their compulsions appear to be only strategic in nature.

The Indian Ocean is currently witnessing a strategic competition for primacy among two big playersIndia and China. India continues to assert its geographical presence in the region as the basis for its engagement in the Indian Ocean by assuming an important role in shaping its maritime security and governance architecture. On the other hand, Chinas attempts to expand its footprint in the Indian Ocean have been underway, particularly, engaging with small and developing island countries in the region through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This coupled with the emergent geo-strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific presents both opportunities and dilemmas for small island countries to navigate their foreign policy and security objectives. In this context, Seychelles appears to stand out. With an archipelagic character of its geography, Seychelles is located strategically amidst the critical theatre of the Western Indian Ocean region.

With a small population, Seychelles is naturally dependent on external actors for its economic and security interests. Due to the maritime character of its geography, Seychelles reliance on seaborne trade and security measures to mitigate challenges at sea account for its key priority areas. For this, Seychelles is dependent on external actors to maximise its interests. Interestingly, a great number of external actors are involved in Seychelles strategic thinking in pursuit of its economic and security interests. These include the US, France, the European Union, United Arab Emirates (UAE), India, and China. Multilaterally, Seychelles has an active presence in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). The importance of Seychelles in broader geopolitical terms, however, has not remained confined as site for contestation among major powers.

Seychelles in the Western Indian Ocean

Source: Nations Online Project

However, moving beyond the dyad of geopolitics and great power contest, several other prominent maritime security challenges are noticeably important for a small island country like Seychelles. These primarily include non-traditional maritime security challenges such as maritime piracy and maritime threats posed by the rising challenge of climate change. It is important to note that for Seychelles such challenges are existential. As an island country, Seychelles is dependent on its maritime periphery for a number of critical facets of its security and national interest. These include important dimensions of security such as human security, energy security, food security. This has prompted Seychelles to place greater emphasis on Blue Economya concept that has gained currency as a maritime turn appears to be underway in global geopolitics. Island countries are located in the middle of the oceans with no territorial links with continental spaces. This requires them to rely on ocean-based economy.

Similarly, for Seychelles too, agendas of maritime security and governance are key for the fulfillment of their national interest. In this light, it would be helpful to analyse how Seychelles has sought to frame its maritime identity in pursuing its national interests in the domains of maritime security, governance, and balancing geopolitical contests in the Indian Ocean. It is widely accepted that small states often find themselves on a tightrope in the face of great power competition. However, in the case of Seychelles, a calibrated approach to navigate its strategic vulnerabilities is noticeable. Firstly, what are these strategic vulnerabilities? Scholars have noted that Seychelles is a victim of quadruple predicament, which involves having asymmetric power relations as a weaker party, deficiency of diplomatic personnel resulting from low population, inability to defend its expansive maritime periphery due to low military budget, and the lack of any significant institutional structure to seek security guarantee.

It is widely accepted that small states often find themselves on a tightrope in the face of great power competition. However, in the case of Seychelles, a calibrated approach to navigate its strategic vulnerabilities is noticeable.

The addressal of these dilemmas warrants dependency on external actors. As noted above, Seychelles is engaged with several external actors for the mitigation of major concerns to its national interest. However, the evolving geopolitical contest taking place in the Indian Ocean poses challenges for a small state like Seychelles. On one hand, Chinas continued efforts to expand its footprint in the Indian Ocean has involved engaging with regional countries by providing economic aid. On the other hand, India, and likeminded countries have also pushed for greater engagement with small countries in the Indian Ocean to foster a secure, free, and open maritime space. Notably, there appears to be a remarkable continuity of measured calibration in the way Seychelles has navigated through the emergent geopolitical contest in the Indian Ocean in pursuing its national interest. Seychelles has been cautious of not aligning and relying on one side, which has provided it with greater agency to manoeuvre among various major players. Seychelles continues to maintain important economic and security links with India, China, and the US.

Theaddressal of these dilemmas warrants dependency on external actors. As noted above, Seychelles is engaged with several external actors for the mitigation of major concerns to its national interest. However, the evolving geopolitical contest taking place in the Indian Ocean poses challenges for a small state like Seychelles.

However, another important facet of Seychelles global engagement merits greater attention. Historically, the territory of Seychelles has been pivotal for blue water navies. During the early 2000s, Seychelles further gained prominence due to its strategic location in the aftermath of the growing piracy off the coast of Somalia. Its physical location amidst the vast maritime expanse of the Western Indian Ocean has leveraged its strategic prominence. Importantly, the Western Indian Ocean is critical for the free flow of global trade. This has resulted in various major players placing significant interest in the region. In this light, Seychelles has been able to garner critical attention from these major players.

Source: Britannica

With the Indo-Pacific construct gaining currency, increasing involvement of major players in the Western Indian Ocean, and a return of piracy threats in the region, Seychelles has the opportunity to maximise its interests by playing an important role in shaping the maritime security architecture of the region by enhancing cooperation with major players. Given its location, and state of capabilities, Seychelles is well-placed to facilitate efforts for mitigating sea-borne challenges by enhancing cooperation with major players. However, for this, Seychelles needs to take up a balanced and calibrated approach and be careful of not getting trapped in the geopolitical contest that is underway in the Indian Ocean. Engaging with external actors by leveraging its maritime locations stands to best serve Seychelles national interests.

Sayantan Haldar is a Research Assistant at the Observer Research Foundation.

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Seychelles' calibrated approach towards maritime dependency - Observer Research Foundation