Security architecture of the Indian Ocean, minilaterals, and middle powers

The Indo-Pacific oceans has emerged as an important theatre of global power rivalry. In this context, the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has gained geopolitical and geoeconomic salience as powers, such as the United States, China, India, France, and the United Kingdom, increase their regional footprint. While the IOR is strategically important, it remains institutionally fragmented. This article studies how emerging minilateral frameworks-the India-France-UAE trilateral, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), and the I2U2-are reshaping the region's security architecture. Drawing on Regional Security Complex Theory (RSCT), which combines traditional and non-traditional security aspects, it argues that these issue-based arrangements promote selective securitization and targeted deterrence, enabling middle powers to navigate great-power competition while addressing evolving maritime security challenges. The article also acknowledges the limitations of RSCT in analyzing the expansive maritime IOR while affirming its value as an effective analytical framework.