Superpower Rivalry in the Indian Ocean Indian and American Perspectives [Hardcover]

(Note for Jacket--see Marketing File-so/10/26]The vast, politically turbulent region encompassing the Indian Ocean, the Persian Gulf, forty-two littoral states, and one third of the world's population is one of the most potentially explosive theaters of superpower rivalry. In this study, three American and three Indian authors, reflecting different perspectives and areas of expertise, examine the principal factors that have led to the escalation of superpower tensions in the region: the war in Afghanistan, and its spillover into the Afghanistan-Pakistani borderlands; the Indo-Pakistani nuclear arms race; ethnic tensions in Sri Lanka; the Iran-Iraq war; Islamic fundamentalism; and the rapidly growing military presence of the superpowers in the area. Considering how India's emergence as a military power is influencing superpower and indigenous tensions in the region, the contributors compare Indian, American, and Soviet interests, and offer solutions for current Indian-American disagreements.

Worth reading for security and economic issues in the large, heavily populated and volatile region of the Indian Ocean remain unresolved and potentially disruptive. --Pacific Affairs

A unique and comprehensive analysis of problems and issues within the Indian Ocean region....Should be a standard substantive reference work for the region. --Choice

A stimulating and provocative collection of essays about the strategic dilemmas confronting the world's two largest democracies as they struggle to improve their relations in the troubled Indian Ocean area. --Geoffrey Kemp, former Senior Director for the Near East and South Asia,National SecurityCouncil

A unique collection by American and Indian specialists on Indian Ocean security issues. These papers eliminate contrasting and contradictory national perspectives and should be must reading for anyone concerned about Indian Ocean (Gulf) security questions. --HowalS*