Maritime security cooperation in South East Asia is still in the early stages of development. The interests of various stakeholders in maritime security generally overlap, but sometimes are in conflict too. Not only have incidents of piracy and ship hijacking in the waters between the Persian Gulf and the South China Sea increased, but they have become more technologically sophisticated, with modern weapons and gunboats being used, and their link to Al Qaeda groups is becoming increasingly manifest. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard are fully conversant with this threat and have been engaged in discussions and exercises with the navies of the United States, Australia, Japan, Singapore and others to deal with the emerging challenge.
