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A Comparative Qualitative Analysis of Microplastics as Maritime Security Threat to Pakistan and India
Summary
Tiny plastic particles polluting the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal aren't just an environmental nuisance—researchers argue they're becoming a genuine security issue for Pakistan and India, disrupting fishing economies, marine ecosystems, and even naval operations. While this study focuses mainly on politics and ocean policy rather than direct health testing, it's a reminder that the same microplastics harming sea life and coastal economies are the ones ending up in the seafood and water we consume, making ocean pollution everyone's problem, not just a distant government's.
Microplastics have transitioned from a localised ecological concern to a chronic, transboundary pollutant with profound implications for the maritime security of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Utilizing Ulrich Beck’s Risk Society Theory, this research recontextualises microplastics as manufactured risks that challenge traditional, state-centric security paradigms. This study adopts a qualitative research design, utilizing primary empirical sources including national maritime doctrines, regional policy frameworks, and official environmental assessments to analyse the threat perceptions of Pakistan and India. By examining these two pivotal maritime actors, the research investigates how microplastic pollution serves as a "silent drift" that destabilises marine ecosystems, threatens the viability of the Blue Economy, and introduces new tactical risks to naval operations. The findings argue that ecological stress in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal necessitates a shift from methodological nationalism toward collaborative maritime governance. Ultimately, the study bridges International Relations and environmental science to frame microplastics as a critical component of modern maritime security and national interest in the IOR.