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India and Australia have assumed a greater role in international affairs, emerging as regional powers with great power potential. Changes in the international environment, particularly the rise of China as a common source of concern and growing economic relations between the two countries in an era of increasingly complex interdependence, have provided an impulse for the two countries to enhance their bilateral ties. Part of that includes developing a robust maritime capability that can project force across blue water as well as on land, and which works in concert with allied maritime forces in assuring the defence of common interests. The paper provides an overview of the Indian–Australian relationship, focusing the analysis on India's changing maritime outlook, Australia's strategic priorities and a forecast of the possibilities for their developing a strategic partnership in the Indo-Pacific region. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The inadequacy of the legal regime to regulate and protect the fragile marine ecosystem is brought forth by recent incidents (e.g. Montara, Australia; Deepwater Horizon, USA) involving deep offshore oil rigs. When the pollution is massive in scale, who pays for the damages? In different regions, fragmented regional arrangements are available to resolve this problem but that is not the answer. Efforts are being made to address this problem internationally. Until the time an internationally acceptable solution for this problem is found, the ongoing spate of unregulated offshore exploration and production (E&P) activates in Bay of Bengal is a cause for concern to India and its neighbours. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]