Spectators No Longer

When small states stand alone, they fall alone — why coordination among the countries of the Indian Ocean has become a strategic necessity

Opinion

 By Vijay Makhan

In an article published last week in the Mauritius Times, I argued that the widening confrontation in the Middle East illustrates a troubling feature of our time: conflicts among major powers rarely remain confined to the regions where they begin. Their consequences travel rapidly through global systems — energy markets, maritime routes and financial networks — until they reach countries far removed from the battlefield.

Pic – Council for Advocacy and Policy Research

For the countries of the Indian Ocean, these developments carry an unmistakable lesson. In an increasingly turbulent geopolitical environment, small states can no longer afford the luxury of spectatorship.

When forces beyond our control begin to shape the stability of our economies, the security of our sea lanes and the broader international order upon which we rely, remaining passive observers is no longer an option.

Spectators we may once have been. Spectators we can no longer remain!

The Limits of the Old Multilateral Order

For much of the post-war era, smaller nations placed considerable faith in a multilateral system designed to moderate the behaviour of powerful states. International institutions, legal frameworks and diplomatic norms provided at least some predictability in global affairs.

Today that system appears to be under growing strain.

Major powers increasingly bypass international institutions when these are perceived as inconvenient. Military action is justified through shifting narratives. Economic pressure and sanctions are deployed as instruments of geopolitical competition.

When international norms weaken, power politics tends to fill the vacuum.

For smaller states, the erosion of these guardrails creates a strategic dilemma. The mechanisms that once offered some protection against unilateral action appear less reliable in a world where the influence of the powerful is once again asserted more openly.

From Spectators to Strategic Actors

Historically, many smaller nations have approached global crises as observers rather than participants. That posture is becoming increasingly untenable.

The era in which small states could afford the luxury of geopolitical detachment may be drawing to a close. Spectatorship is no longer a viable posture in a rapidly changing international order.

Small states may lack the military capabilities of great powers, but they possess other forms of influence that can become significant when exercised collectively. Strategic geography, maritime jurisdiction, diplomatic legitimacy and voting power in international institutions are assets that acquire greater weight when coordinated effectively.

The Indian Ocean region illustrates this reality clearly.

Stretching from the eastern coast of Africa to Southeast Asia, the region encompasses numerous island and coastal states whose combined maritime zones cover vast expanses of the world’s oceans. These waters carry a substantial share of global trade and energy flows.

Yet despite this strategic importance, the voices of the region’s smaller states often remain fragmented.

Fragmentation weakens influence. Coordination strengthens it.

The Strategic Imperative of Regional Coordination

As the international system enters a period of intensified geopolitical competition, small states must adapt accordingly.

The first requirement is deeper coordination across several spheres of activity.

Diplomatic coordination allows smaller nations to articulate common concerns more effectively in international forums.
Economic cooperation can strengthen resilience in the face of global shocks.
Maritime collaboration can help safeguard the sea lanes upon which the prosperity of the region depends.

Such cooperation need not imply alignment with any particular geopolitical bloc.

On the contrary, it can help preserve the strategic autonomy of smaller states by enabling them to engage larger powers from a position of collective confidence rather than individual vulnerability.

The Indian Ocean already possesses several regional platforms dedicated to dialogue and cooperation. What is required today is not necessarily the creation of new institutions but the strengthening of existing ones and the political will to use them more effectively.

Mauritius and the Responsibility of Strategic Convening

For Mauritius, the present moment carries particular significance.

Our country has long cultivated a reputation as a principled advocate of international law, multilateral diplomacy and peaceful dispute resolution. Mauritius played an effective role in the establishment of the Mechanism for the Prevention, Management and Resolution of conflicts of the then Organisation of African Unity. Situated at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean and maintaining constructive relations with partners across continents, Mauritius is well placed to encourage deeper dialogue among small and medium-sized states of the region.

Whether through regional organisations, maritime cooperation initiatives or diplomatic engagement with partners beyond the region, Mauritius can contribute to building the habit of consultation that allows smaller states to articulate common interests more clearly.

Leadership in this context does not require grand gestures. It begins with the simple but essential task of convening conversations that enable countries facing similar vulnerabilities to think and act together.

Protecting the Region’s Economic Lifelines

For many states across the Indian Ocean, economic stability remains closely tied to the smooth functioning of global commerce.

Island and coastal economies depend heavily on open sea lanes, stable energy supplies and reliable international connectivity. Their prosperity is closely linked to systems that extend far beyond their national borders.

In such circumstances, collective diplomatic engagement becomes not merely desirable but essential. Advocating the stability of maritime routes, respect for international law and the peaceful management of disputes serves the shared interests of many states across the region.

Standing Up Without Choosing Sides

Some may argue that smaller states should avoid involvement in great-power disputes altogether.

Yet neutrality does not require silence.

Speaking collectively in defence of international law, stable maritime corridors and peaceful dispute resolution does not constitute taking sides. Rather, it represents the legitimate defence of national interests shared by many states.

In an era when “bully diplomacy” sometimes appears to shape international behaviour, coordination among smaller states can help restore balance.

Individually their voices may be faint. Together they carry greater weight.

A Moment for Strategic Maturity

The evolving geopolitical landscape therefore presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

The challenge lies in navigating an international environment in which great-power rivalry once again threatens to dominate global affairs.

The opportunity lies in recognising that small states need not remain passive spectators.

For the countries of the Indian Ocean, the choice is becoming increasingly clear: remain spectators of forces that shape our destiny or work together to influence the environment in which we must live.

These considerations raise an equally important question for the region — and for Mauritius in particular. If the international system is indeed entering a protracted period of heightened geopolitical competition, how should smaller states position themselves strategically within this evolving landscape?

That question deserves deeper reflection and will be explored further in a subsequent discussion.

For small states, unity is not a luxury of diplomacy.

It is increasingly a condition of survival in a turbulent world.

New Delhi
11 March 2026

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 12 March 2026