Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean
Area
• Total	70,560,000 km²

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the five oceans, covering 70,560,000 km², or 19.8% of the water on Earth’s surface. It is bordered by Asia to the north, Africa to the west, and Australia to the east, and to the south by Antarctica. It is named after India, the only ocean named after a country. Its sea lanes carry vast volumes of energy supplies, raw materials, and manufactured goods; half of the world’s container shipments and two-thirds of oil shipments pass through routes linked to the Indian Ocean. It is a central artery of global capitalism and imperialism, encompassing the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Mozambique Channel.

Geography

The Indian Ocean has an estimated volume of 292,131,000 km³, with an average depth of around 3,741 meters, the deepest being the Sunda Trench, located off the southern coast of the island of Java, reaching a maximum depth of approximately 7,290 meters. It encompasses key islands such as Sri Lanka, Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zanzibar, and Socotra.

The Indian Ocean is the youngest of the major oceans geologically, with its formation beginning during the break-up of the supercontinent Gondwana around 180 million years ago. The ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ridge, an underwater mountain range where tectonic plates spread apart. Several hotspots in this area have created chains of volcanic islands, most notably the Réunion hotspot, which formed the Deccan Traps in India and the Mascarene Plateau between the Seychelles and Mauritius.

Climate-wise, the Indian Ocean is unique due to its northern landlocked boundaries, which allow the monsoon system to function, something not found in other oceans. The northern Indian Ocean’s currents reverse semi-annually.

Winter Monsoon - From October to April, high pressure over Asia drives dry winds toward the ocean, causing surface currents to flow westward.

Summer Monsoon - From May to September, the land heats up, creating low pressure that draws moisture-rich winds from the ocean into the Indian subcontinent, bringing heavy rains that are vital to South Asia.

Economy

The Indian Ocean has been a Maritime Silk Road for millennia, serving as a corridor of trade, migration, and cultural exchange. It linked Africa to Southeast Asia and China long before European colonization, fostering economic and technological integration across the region. In the present day, the Indian Ocean has become divided between the imperial core and its allies, who use it to exert pressure on anti-imperialist states such as China, Russia, and Iran.

China secures oil, gas, and minerals through this ocean, while the imperial core has set its sights on denying these imports, creating a militarized ocean marked by alliances and geopolitical confrontation. Since this ocean also carries half of the world’s cargo shipments, any disruption accidental or deliberate would trigger immediate inflation, halt production, and cause market shocks.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative includes funding for the Gwadar Port in Pakistan, Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka, and Doraleh Port in Djibouti. To counter China’s investments in the Global South, the imperial core employs various strategic formations to pressure and threaten China in the Indian Ocean, such as the Quad and AUKUS.