The Indian Ocean is not merely a body of water; it is an amphitheater of trade, commerce, and geopolitical flashpoints. Two thousand years ago, taxes on Indian trade alone accounted for roughly one-third of the total revenue of the entire Roman Empire. The Ocean has never been a background feature; it has always been the main event. And in 2026, with chokepoints under strain, submarine cables contested, and sea beds mapped for their minerals, the Indian Ocean is more conteste