The first major activity of the Geopolitical Cartographer (GC) will be the preparation of a book, which will be a collection of longer pieces, essays, and commentaries on ‘the emergence of the Indian Ocean region in the 21st Century’. The essays (between 3000-5000 words) and the commentaries (of 1000-1500 words) will be written by recognized international figures and experts, and members of the Scientific Advisory Committee and research associates of the GC. While the book has some scientific experts, it aims to bring together the views and experience of political leaders, politicians, professionals, academics, and researchers, covering a wide range of fields connected with the Indian Ocean, with the aim of developing understanding of the region while being non-partisan. The purpose of the book is to enable further discussion on the centrality of the Indian Ocean, and the geopolitics of the littoral states. 
Currently, the scope of the book is an examination of several important issues including the following: 

• Geopolitics, geoeconomics, and geostrategic interests of the littoral States and other actors; a Pro-Littoral States view; 
• International relations and foreign affairs;
• Historical antecedents underlying the formation of the Indian Ocean region;
• Emergence of the Indian Ocean region in 21st Century Geopolitics;
• Geopolitics of the ‘Indo-Pacific’ concept and the littoral States;
• Post-COVID Indian Ocean Economy, and controlling Pandemics;
• International economics, economic architecture, and geoeconomics;
• Withdrawal of the US and over-writing the ‘Indo-Pacific’ concept;  
• Maritime Environmental Security, Maritime Security and Non-State Actors;
• BRI, ASEAN, IORA, BIMSTEC, CP TPP and other regional groupings;
• The impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on the Indian Ocean;
• Naval strength/strategy in the Indian Ocean – China, U.S., India;
• Western Indian Ocean and the case for Africa 2063
• AUKUS and Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean
• The Geopolitics of Conservation and Sustainability

The book is expected to be published by a regional media group in 2022 and, preceding its publication, the findings will be disseminated through the media and a programme of virtual and in-person events including lectures, webinars, papers, and discussions that will form the basis of the ‘Geopolitical Cartographer’, a project to reconfigure the centrality of the Indian Ocean to the 21st Century.