After years of reluctance, India is now preparing to initiate a new multilateral security arrangement along the strategic Malacca Straits. Unlike its traditional focus on bilateral channels, India has now significantly shifted focus to multilateral diplomatic avenues to enhance cooperation with littoral states. The government has finally approved the Navy's plan to approach Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia with a new multilateral plan that safeguards India's interests along this vital maritime chokepoint. By making this proposal at the recently-held Milan 2006 naval exercise, New Delhi has clearly demonstrated its keenness to contribute beyond its own territorial limits.

This move comes after a four-year freeze by New Delhi on matters concerning the Malacca Straits. In April 2002, during Operation "Enduring Freedom" in Afghanistan, Indian Navy ships - INS Sharda and INS Sukanya - relieved USS Cowpens by taking charge of patrolling and escorting US ships through the Malacca Straits. Although this move was made in support of Washington's campaign against global terrorism, India is now seeking to advance its broader strategy of securing its own strategic and economic interests even while sticking to cooperative endeavours.

The Malacca Straits - located between the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the west coast of Malaysia and Singapore - is the critical chokepoint of Asia linking the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the shortest sea routes for the East Asian economies, which also connects the region to the oil-basin of West Asia. The straits are rife with several security threats, such as piracy, maritime terrorism, drug smuggling, gun running and illegal immigration. These challenges have the potential to disrupt, if not destroy, the existing maritime environment in the straits. Although regional countries have made considerable efforts to address these problems with encouraging results, the challenges and threats are too formidable and complex for the combat capabilities of these countries individually.

In this context, India's steady involvement in the security of the Malacca Straits has been propelled by many factors. First, as a formidable naval force in the region, India has the capability of providing security to this channel. Second, the southern tip of India's Andaman and Nicobar islands, being just 90 nautical miles from Indonesia's Banda Aceh, directly qualifies India as part of the Malacca littoral. Third, it is important for India to make its presence in the Malacca Straits to safeguard its economic and security interests. Over 97 per cent of India's trade by volume and 75 per cent by value are sea borne. If one follows the direction of India's exports to the Asia-Pacific region, the statistics are a clear indicator that much of the trade transits through the Straits of Malacca, thereby proving the high stakes India has in maintaining its security.

Hence, it has become imperative for New Delhi to follow a forward-looking strategy of contributing to the region's own efforts to secure the Malacca Straits from any threats. Though New Delhi has been apprehensive about joining any multilateral platform with Southeast Asian nations to patrol the straits, the Indian Navy had often promoted its role in the straits and the region through bilateral arrangements. Earlier, India had signed two patrolling pacts with Thailand and Indonesia. But now, the government feels that it is time to revisit the issue in a comprehensive manner, and expand its involvement through a wider multilateral arrangement.

The Indian Navy's proposal of joint-patrolling was discussed by naval officials from seven participating navies during Milan 2006 exercise. Milan 2006 is the fifth and the biggest in the series after the Indian Navy hosted the first exercise in 1995. The exercise is being held every two years with the aim of promoting confidence building and cohesion among participating nations. This year, seven nations, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Australia participated in the exercise. For Myanmar, it is first of sorts with UMS Anawyatha becoming the first Burmese warship to have sailed abroad in the last 40 years.

The proposal comes at a time when India's regional power status has attained greater acceptability in the region, owing to its policy of 'engagement'. After the catastrophic tsunami that spelt massive destruction in the region, India's naval diplomacy has geared up through its frontline presence in humanitarian assistance, thereby enhancing its stand with regional navies. While India's tsunami diplomacy has been widely appreciated, the Indian Navy is now looking forward to evolve new channels of naval diplomacy with littoral states. Last year Indian Navy Chief, Arun Prakash, visited many of these littoral states to enhance bilateral cooperation and strengthen naval ties. The significant gain of this visit was improvement in naval relations with Bangladesh and Myanmar. Finally, India's proposal to patrol the Malacca Straits after years of hesitation, demonstrate its willingness to play a key role in the Indian Ocean region. The decision would in all likelihood enhance New Delhi's regional and international profile.