Skip to main content

The German Marshall Fund of the United States

  • Who we are
    • Programs
      • Alliance for Securing Democracy
      • Asia Program
      • Balkan Trust for Democracy
      • Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation
      • Congressional Affairs
      • Europe Program
      • Fund for Belarus Democracy
      • Future of Geopolitics
      • GMF Cities
      • GMF Digital
      • Leadership Programs
      • Mediterranean Program
      • Security and Defense
    • Offices
      • Ankara
      • Belgrade
      • Berlin
      • Brussels
      • Bucharest
      • Paris
      • Warsaw
      • Washington, DC
    • About Us
    • Marshall Plan
    • Our Partners
  • Experts
  • Events
    Mar
    8
    Upcoming Event

    NATO 2030: United for a New Era

    March 8, 2021 | 10:00AM to 11:00AM EST
    • Major Conferences & Forums
      GMF brings together hundreds of policymakers, elected officials, academics, and business leaders from around the world to discuss topics from energy to migration, economics to security, urban growth to diplomacy.
    All Events →
  • Our Work
    • Topics
      • America
      • Asia
      • Europe
      • Cities and Regions
      • Security
      • Trade and Economies
      • All Topics
    • Research
      • Publications
      • Transatlantic Takes
    • Perspectives
      • Audio
      • Video
      • Blog post
      • In The News
  • Stay Informed
Policy Paper

Global Swing States and the Maritime Order

November 27, 2012

James Kraska

The “global swing states” — Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Turkey — will play an important role in shaping the future maritime order. The four have been major beneficiaries of an open order of the oceans, as free trade and freedom to use the seas have stoked their economies and broadened their contacts with regional states and distant partners. Unlike major naval powers such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, the four currently lack a worldwide impact. They do, however, possess a preponderance of regional influence over oceans governance. While the global swing states have a mixed record of promoting a stable and liberal order at sea, they have made strides over the past decade toward accepting some of the diffuse costs of maintaining the maritime order. The four countries now stand at an inflection point. Growing power and increasing regional influence provide them with the opportunity to assume greater roles in a stronger and more open order of the oceans if they choose.

Download

Download PDF

Explore:

Security and Defense Program
Asia Program
Global Swing States
Strengthening Transatlantic Cooperation

Our Organization

  • About GMF
  • Career Opportunities
  • Our Partners
  • Press Room
  • Support Our Work
  • Core Values

Our Work

  • Leadership
  • Policy
  • Civil Society
  • Research & Analysis

Our Experts

  • Find an Expert

Follow

  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Diversity Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Credits

Stay Informed

Don’t miss out on the latest from GMF. Sign up to receive emailed newsletters, announcements, and event notifications.

Subscribe