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Op_ed: From #Red_Sea to #Indian Ocean: Why recognizing #Somaliland could be India’s hidden ace for maritime dominance, promoting democratic values
In this op-ed, Gulaid Yusuf Idaan advocates for India’s formal recognition of Somaliland. He notes that Somaliland has achieved remarkable stability in a volatile region, boasting a “functioning democracy, regular elections, and judicial independence.” The author underscores that its strategic location near the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait “lends Somaliland considerable maritime and geopolitical significance.” For India, he argues, the situation presents a unique opportunity to advance its Indo-Pacific strategy and counter China’s regional influence through “the formal recognition of Somaliland.”
Idaan posits that establishing formal relations would bring India closer to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint for 10% of global trade. Such a move, he contends, “offers India a rare diplomatic opportunity to counterbalance China and deepen its Indo-Pacific strategy.” Central to this is the port of Berbera. The author emphasizes that “access to Berbera provides India a crucial maritime advantage close to China’s base in Djibouti,” which he says is essential for “securing the sea lanes that carry 90% of India’s trade.”
The op-ed also highlights diplomatic alignment. It states that “Somaliland’s bold diplomatic engagement with Taiwan since 2020 challenges Chinese orthodoxy.” Given India’s own border tensions with Beijing, Idaan suggests that it could adopt a “strategic hedging” approach, proposing that “a decentralized axis involving India, Somaliland, and Taiwan” could represent a form of “unofficial diplomacy” grounded in shared democratic values.
The author situates this potential move within India’s history of supporting independence movements, such as those in Namibia and Bangladesh. He draws a contrast with other global powers, stating that unlike China and Russia, “India places greater emphasis on democratic legitimacy rather than the preservation of regimes.” He concludes that “Recognizing Somaliland would reaffirm India’s post-colonial ideals” while simultaneously opening “new avenues for trade, intelligence sharing, and regional cooperation.”
