The Indian Ocean has remained a critical trade route for centuries. Despite its regional and global importance, the study of the Indian Ocean is often siloed through the land masses surrounding it, including Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.

The India Ocean Initiative at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace strives to correct this oversight by studying the Indian Ocean as one, single maritime theatre from the eastern coast of Africa to the western shores of Australia along with its straits and chokepoints. The Indian Ocean interactive map was conceptualized and designed to convey the strategic importance of the region’s geographic features and shipping routes and to better understand the ocean’s implications on regional developments and geopolitical competition.  

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the NSC are thrilled to collaborate for the launch of the second phase of the Indian Ocean interactive map. Supported by DFAT, this edition of the interactive research tool highlights the importance of the region through its economic, political, and geographic drivers for maritime security across the Indian Ocean. The map aims to provide a coherent database as well as underline the new trends and dynamics emerging across the entire Indian Ocean and its implications for the wider Indo-Pacific.