Comprehensive Maritime Security in The Indian Ocean Region: Challenges and Opportunities

The study of Maritime Security should not be limited to State/Military issues alone. It should be understood more broadly as including Non-State/Non-Military, Non-Traditional Maritime Security issues as well. This edited book explores Non-Traditional Maritime Security issues such as Sri Lanka's Marine Environment, Illegal Fishing in South Asia, and Illegal Seaborne Migration from South Asia to Australia within a Comprehensive Maritime Security approach. Several chapters in this edited volume emphasize the links between Non-Traditional Maritime Security and National Interests and Security. The research in this volume point towards a need to understand Maritime Security comprehensively and holistically.

This edited volume by Dr. Sithara Fernando contains discussions on some very relevant and contemporary issues pertaining to comprehensive maritime security in the IO. The contents will be very useful to policymakers, researchers and maritime security practitioners alike. These papers enlighten the reader especially about key nontraditional maritime security issues. This awareness could assist in understanding various aspects in maritime security and maritime domain awareness in the IO. This understanding is necessary so as to maintain the required level of comprehensive maritime security and the sustainable use of this ocean for the betterment of the IOR.

Dr. Sithara Fernando BSc (LSE) MA, MPhil, PhD (JNU), is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Strategic Studies, Faculty of Defence and Strategic Studies, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU). He has published several books on international maritime affairs such as China's Maritime Relations with South Asia: from Confrontation to Cooperation (Lambert Academic Publishing, 2012), Maritime Cooperation in South Asia (Manohar and Regional Centre for Strategic Studies, 2013), and United States-China-India Strategic Triangle in the Indian Ocean Region: Challenges and Opportunities (Editor) (Kotelawala Defence University and Knowledge World Publishers, 2015). He teaches a postgraduate course in Maritime Security at KDU.