The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is a geographical and strategic concept, not a formal institution, encompassing the Indian Ocean and the 36 to 47 littoral and island countries that share its coastal waters. It is the world's third-largest ocean, covering about 20 percent of the Earth's water surface, and is strategically vital as it contains major chokepoints like the Straits of Hormuz and Malacca, through which over half of the global seaborne trade passes.
The region has the oldest heritage of international exchange, linking early civilizations like the Indus Valley through seaborne commerce for four thousand years. The modern strategic focus on the IOR intensified after the British government's decision to withdraw its military forces from the region east of Suez in January 1968, leading to increased competition among major powers. The concept of an "Indian Ocean Rim" for socio-economic cooperation was articulated by South African President Nelson Mandela in 1995.
The concept is operationalized through key mechanisms like the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), the only pan-Indian Ocean grouping, which was formally launched in 1997 and renamed in November 2013 to strengthen regional cooperation. India also initiated the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in February 2008 to enhance maritime cooperation among littoral navies.
The IOR connects directly to India's strategic vision, notably the Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) doctrine, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2015 in Mauritius. This doctrine focuses on security cooperation, trade, and capacity building. Recently, India's strategy has evolved, with the SAGAR doctrine being extended and broadened into the MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) doctrine, outlined in March 2025, which shifts the focus to include broader economic and geopolitical issues. The IOR is also a core component of the larger Indo-Pacific strategic construct.