Introduction
India's maritime strategy has witnessed significant evolution, culminating in the proposed SHANTI (Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity) framework. This norms-based maritime governance model represents India's strategic vision for the Bay of Bengal and wider Indo-Pacific region.
Understanding SHANTI Framework
What is SHANTI?
- Full Form: Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity
- Proposed: 2026 (alongside India's UNSC 2028-29 candidacy)
- Purpose: Provides operational framework for governing shared maritime commons
Core Pillars
- Norms: Promoting rules-based maritime cooperation
- Trust: Building confidence among littoral states
- Integrity: Ensuring transparent and inclusive governance
Key Objectives
- Strengthen India as preferred security partner and first responder
- Enhance BIMSTEC integration
- Promote Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA)
- Advance Blue Economy initiatives
- Coordinate responses to traditional and non-traditional maritime threats
Evolution of India's Maritime Vision
| Initiative | Year | Focus | Key Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAGAR | 2015 | Security and Growth for All in the Region | Articulated India's vision for Indian Ocean Region |
| MAHASAGAR | 2025 | Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions | Expanded scope to Indo-Pacific and Global South |
| SHANTI | 2026 | Norms-based maritime governance | Provides operational framework for shared maritime commons |
Why Bay of Bengal is the Ideal Testing Ground
1. "Cooperative Maritime Commons"
- Unlike Western Indian Ocean (plagued by militarization, piracy, chokepoint blockades)
- Relatively low-friction environment
- No active, insurmountable maritime border disputes
- Historical, cultural, and economic ties among littoral states
2. Geoeconomic Pivot and "Malacca Factor"
- Direct maritime interface between South Asia and Southeast Asia
- Physical manifestation of India's Act East Policy
- Guards western approach to Strait of Malacca
- Critical for China's "Malacca Dilemma" (60% of China's oil imports pass through)
3. Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Threats
- Climate Vulnerability: Hyper-cyclones, rising sea levels, coastal erosion
- Resource Depletion: Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing
- Transnational Crime: Overlap with "Golden Triangle" for drug trafficking
- HADR Requirements: Coordinated disaster response protocols needed
4. Strengthening BIMSTEC
- Serves as "normative glue" for fragmented regional cooperation
- Embeds Norms, Trust, and Integrity into existing mechanisms
- Promotes Blue Economy and MDA without creating new institutions
5. "Regional Stewardship" Model
- Demonstrates India as security partner without being perceived as "big brother"
- Promotes trust-based, non-coercive regional leadership
- Model for wider Indo-Pacific maritime governance
Key Challenges to Operationalising SHANTI
Geopolitical & Traditional Security
- China's expanding presence (Kyaukphyu port in Myanmar)
- Political instability in littoral states
- Threat to India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Highway projects
Economic & Infrastructure
- Fragmented customs and shipping procedures
- Inadequate port infrastructure
- Financing gaps in regional integration
Institutional Gaps
- Fragmented regional cooperation despite BIMSTEC
- Trust deficit among smaller states
- Absence of effective dispute resolution mechanism
Environmental Threats
- Climate change and sea-level rise
- IUU fishing threatening food security
- Marine pollution and transnational trafficking
Strategic Responses Required
- Strengthen MDA through Information Fusion Centre (IFC-IOR)
- Institutionalise NSA-level coordination among littoral states
- Implement BIMSTEC Maritime Transport Cooperation Agreement (MTCA)
- Develop coordinated HADR framework
- Promote inclusive corridor governance
- Technology-driven coastal monitoring
Constitutional and Policy Framework
- Maritime Zones of India Act (1976): Defines India's maritime boundaries
- SAGAR Doctrine: India's maritime vision for Indian Ocean Region
- Indo-Pacific Division: Ministry of External Affairs coordinates policy
- Blue Economy Policy: Sustainable marine resource utilization
Significance for India's Global Standing
- Positions India as indispensable net security provider
- Balances China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) alternatives
- Strengthens Act East Policy through maritime dimension
- Enhances UNSC candidacy credentials
- Promotes multipolar, rules-based maritime order
Conclusion
The SHANTI framework represents India's strategic evolution from competition to cooperation, from crisis response to long-term resilience building. By anchoring SHANTI in the Bay of Bengal, India can demonstrate its role as a cooperative maritime leader while advancing its vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.