The vast ocean and seas swathe an enormous space of our planet and are a crucial part of our existence. Their enigmatic depths, layers, flows, desert of waves, wilderness of water, great wide of rhythm have long been a source of fascination, awe, and fear for mankind. Therefore, it’s no surprise that there are so many interests in terms of domination, environment, space frontier, socio cultural, economic, and resources.

From earliest recorded history, glory and triumph of Nusantara has depend on sea/ocean/maritime. The existence of Indonesia consists of land, sea/ocean, and air, then moulded within the socio cultural of Indonesian named Nusantara. People of Indonesia believe that the ocean/sea is not unglued between inhabitants, but it brought people together become one nation. The ocean has always been an important source of food, O2, Energy, and it has also served trade and commerce, adventure and discovery. The sea/ocean have also brought threat to Nusantara, considering the threats are mostly from/through/in the sea/ocean. Nusantara has been always magnetic many countries, it is not only because of natural resources but the geographical setting of Nusantara. Indonesia has to be glory and triumph, the key factor for Indonesia is how to control the waters, meaning Indonesia has to have capability to monitor, detect and respond issues, then utilise the sea/ocean for the interest of Indonesia.

Considering economic and security matters are concerned, the need and interest of Indonesia are relatively similar to international community, user States or ships owners which are safety and security of navigation, and there is no potential damage to the environment. But for Indonesia the interest is more prominent and broader because Indonesia has to live with it if anything untoward happens in Indonesia waters. Hence, the interest of Indonesia in terms of navigational routes, straits, and choke points extend beyond economic and security. Indonesian waters is the existence of Nusantara.

The book intends to explore and examine the interest of Indonesia vis a vis international laws regulate the ocean/sea and maritime matters.