The Evolving Strategic Environment in The Indo-Pacific Region: The Need for a Naval Doctrine of Bangladesh

Prof. Shahab Enam Khan

The Evolving Strategic Environment in The Indo-Pacific Region: The Need for a Naval Doctrine of Bangladesh

Prof. Shahab Enam Khan
Jahangirnagar University
shahab.e.khan@gmail.com

Keywords: Cold, War, Doctrine, Realism, Sea, Power, Strategic, Autonomy, Technopolar,

Abstract

Once again, the Cold War syndrome is back in the international strategic environment. The complex strategic relations between the US and China have emerged as a critical factor constantly reshaping geopolitical and geostrategic stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The Bay of Bengal, being a part of the Indo-Pacific region, is now witnessing an unprecedented interest from the global power to project their military and diplomatic strengths. Given the militarization of the Indo-Pacific waters and the geostrategic rivalries unfolding in the Bay of Bengal – a vital sovereign jurisdiction of Bangladesh, the necessity for strengthening Bangladesh’s naval power has never been as critically important as of now. Like the Balkans a century ago, riven by overlapping alliances, competitions, and rivalries, the strategic environment in the Indo-Pacific and the Bay of Bengal regions will only become complex and hostile in the future. To secure Bangladesh’s strategic autonomy and to reduce the impacts of global power rivalries over the Bay of Bengal, it is high time for Bangladesh to develop its naval doctrine. The critical powers, i.e., the US, China, Russia, Japan, and Australia, are now rethinking their naval doctrines.

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