Journal of Defense Management
Open Access

Abstract

A Study of the Operational Oversight of Counter-Piracy Stakeholders in Indian Ocean: Patterns and Evolution

James Okolie Osemene

Migration has been an attribute of the Indian Ocean World for many years and also associated with risk. Many countries that conduct business around the Indian Ocean have been on the throes of pirate attacks for decades. This study examines the nature of counter-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean (IO). It identifies the hotbeds of pirate attacks, strategies adopted to strengthen security sector?s capacity in dealing with the problem at various levels, prospects of stakeholders? manoeuvrability over piracy, tactical units, interaction wits and international cooperation. It establishes a nexus between counter-piracy and lethal violence in the IO and interrogates the relationship between piracy and the networks of terror around Somali/Horn of Africa axis of the IO. In terms of methodology, the article makes use of qualitative data including secondary sources, media reports and the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) dataset. The article maintains that effectiveness of the intelligence system is a factor of successful counter-piracy policy by the littoral states and major world powers. It concludes by stating the need for stakeholders in security market especially states to intensify the stability operations that counter-piracy aims at through more effective collaboration backed by reliable communication oversight as also developed by India.