The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20 per cent of the water on the Earth’s surface. It has Asia on the North, Africa on the West, Australia on the East and Antarctica on the South.
This vast Ocean connecting and separating nations has played an important role in shaping many countries’ cultures and ideologies through the movement of goods, people, ideas and religion vide trade, naval power, travel and scientific exploration across the sea. The world’s earliest civilizations in Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, and the Indian subcontinent developed around Indian Ocean. During the 1st and 2nd centuries C.E. intensive trade relations developed between Roman, Egyptian and the Tamil Kingdoms in southern India. In 1497 Portuguese navigator Vasco Da Gama was the first European to sail to India. European ships dominated trade which was reinforced in 1869 after the opening of Suez Canal. In 1971 the UN General Assembly declared Indian Ocean a zone of peace by resolution 2832.
The span of the Ocean is 6,200 miles (10,000 kilometers) from the southern tip of Africa to the western coast of Australia. In the southwest it joins the Atlantic Ocean and to the east it joins the Pacific Ocean.
Being the warmest Ocean in the world, the Indian Ocean accounts for 50 per cent of the world’s container traffic and the ports of Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) region handle about 30 per cent of global trade. Around 66 per cent of the world’s seaborne trade in oil transits the Indian Ocean. Roughly 55 per cent of known oil reserves, and around 40 per cent of gas reserves, are in the Indian Ocean region. Study of the Spice route, Cotton route, Perfume route etc. indicates what a vital role had been played by Indian Ocean for centuries in the history of Maritime trade. Today Indian Ocean is very much a part of global economy and is considered truly a Ratnakara - “the mine of gems” as mentioned in old treaties.
The rise of Chola Dynasty in the Peninsular India unfolded a new chapter in the annals of the country when for the first time any ruling dynasty endeavored to conquer high seas and to expand its hegemony and dominance across the seas through development of a strong naval force. The Coronation of Rajendra Chola I in 1014 C.E. was an epoch making event in the history of the Indian subcontinent, and an important and bright chapter in the glorious history of Indian Ocean. Son of the great Rajaraja Chola I, King Rajendra is credited with expanding the Chola Empire across the seas to South-East Asia and to the North up to the Ganges, with his navy, earning him the sobriquet ‘Gangai Kondan’.
Cross cultural linkages between India and the erstwhile empires and contemporary nations of the South east Asia and Far East can be traced back to the vast Chola Empire which was at the pinnacle of its glory during the reign of Emperor Rajendra Chola I, whose writ and supreme dominance extended beyond India to empires which accepted his suzerainty consequent to his successful and heroic naval exploits.
Apart from the military and territorial conquests which expanded the zone of influence and hegemony of the Cholas, the reign of the "great Rajendra Chola I also witnessed growth in the soft power of India as his naval expeditions laid a strong foundation for promotion of trade, commerce and cultural exchanges which brought fabulous economic prosperity on one hand and expansion of Indian culture and heritage across the Indian ocean to the land of South East Asia on the other.
Department of Posts is happy to issue a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Indian Ocean and Rajendra Chola I.
Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India