BRAZILIAN AND INDIAN MARITIME SECURITY ISSUES: DIFFERENCES IN INFLUENCE-BUILDING APPROACHES

Abstract

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Emerging powers have often employed diverse strategies to gain influence in their regions. This article explores and compares the maritime regional influence-building pro-cesses spearheaded by Brazil and India. We identify geo-political variables that influence the permanence of dis-cursive region-building strategies that involve: sustained interaction with coastal states; the generation of sufficient maritime consciousness/awareness; strategic importance, either in geopolitical or in economic terms; and acceptan-ce of the proposing state’s claim to a leadership role bac-ked by power projection capabilities. These concepts are explored in the contexts of the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans, revealing the limits imposed on influence-buil-ding by geopolitical factors.

Keywords

• maritime security
• india
• brazil
• indian ocean region
• south atlantic ocean