‘Power in world politics’ is a phrase that directs our imagination towards the big powers of the world: huge armies, vast populations, and rich economies. The numerous small island nations rarely enter the picture. But when you look closely, these islands are not just remote holiday spots. These small dotted lands on the map of oceans are, in fact, vast areas scattered across thousands of miles, carrying greater weight than their size. They facilitate critical shipping lanes, hold the keys to the vast oceans, and offer outposts that bigger states desperately seek to control. Moreover, these island-nations are shaping global debates on sovereignty, climate change, and survival; their importance comes from strategy, geography, and the ability to punch above their weight (Baldacchino, 2017; Scott, 2021).
Considering their size, their political power is often overlooked. Their geographical advantage, however, turns them into “small giants.” Think of them as stepping stones scattered across the busiest highways around the world—in this case, the sea lanes that carry about 90% of global trade. A single island near a chokepoint can affect the flow of goods across continents. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, for instance, is situated right at the entrance of the Malacca Strait—the narrow stretch through which most of Asia’s energy imports pass (Medcalf, 2020).
Greater powers of the world recognise islands as potential sites for extending influence. Islands are known to host warships, refueling stations, and airstrips, effectively transforming them into “unsinkable aircraft carriers” (Scott, 2021). With the advent of modern technology, their role has been magnified: radars, anti-ship missiles, and fighter jets can now operate from even the smallest pieces of land. For instance, the United States heavily relies on Guam and Diego Garcia in the Indo-Pacific. China has, in fact, built new islands out of reefs in the South China Sea, and India is gradually strengthening its foothold in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. But the downside of the emergence of all these facilities is that islands are not cost-free assets. Defending them during wartime becomes difficult. Their small size makes them sitting targets, and their isolation creates logistical and supply chain problems.
Military strategists call it the “loss of strength gradient”, the further away and smaller the base, the harder it is to keep them supplied and secure (Scott, 2021). So while islands offer power projection, they are highly vulnerable.
Threats, Proximity, and Security complexity: Why do Islands make Big States so Nervous?
Stephen Walt’s “balance of threat”, helps us simplify the question, theory helps us to explain it. He states that power alone does not create fear—proximity and perceived hostile intent do (Walt, 1985). An island close to a rival may considerably be a threat and can feel akin to a dagger pointed at one’s heart. Take China as an example, it sees American bases in Guam and Japan’s Ryukyu Islands as an effort to hem it in. India, meanwhile, views Chinese investments in Sri Lanka and the Maldives with suspicion. The United States, for its part, sees China’s artificial islands as attempts to dominate the South China Sea, leading to a continuous loop of action and counteraction. For instance when one country builds a base, another expands patrols. One installs missiles, another forges new alliances. Hence, islands are not just recreational spots that sit quietly in the ocean, they actively trigger complexity of militarisation and mistrust. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), ensures that islands are more than just landmasses; they serve as important gateways to vast maritime zones. Each Island generates an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending to 200 nautical miles. That means even a small rock can unlock access to seabed minerals, fisheries and potential gas and oil reserves (Scott, 2021). This is why islands like the Lakshadweep provide India significant control over the Arabian Sea, while smaller Pacific Island states collectively command ocean territories presumably larger than the European continent. This also explains the intense disputes over small reefs in the South China Sea, whoever controls them, potentially controls trillions of dollars’ worth of marine resources.
Through the Indian island strategy we can better understand how geography turns into power. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands serves New Delhi a platform to keep an eye on the Malacca Strait, providing it a leverage over the route critical to China’s economy. Over the past decade, India has constructed naval and air facilities in these islands, regularly host joint exercises like MILAN to cement regional partnerships (Scott, 2021). The nation has also looked beyond its own territory, forming close ties with other islands. India has also installed radar stations in the Maldives and Madagascar, strengthened defense cooperation with Seychelles and Mauritius and has signed agreements with France to access Reunion Island. These strategies and moves have helped India extend its reach across the Indian Ocean, balancing against China’s push through its Maritime Silk Road projects in the Maldives, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. Apart from the military aspect, many also see them as potential trade hubs. The harbors make ideal transit points, here big ships can unload cargo for redistribution. Singapore, which is not a “small island nation”, is a good example of how geography can turn an island into a global shipping and transit hub.
Smaller islands such as Fiji or Seychelles are also towards similar paths, hosting transshipment hubs and refueling stations may bring in steady revenue and help prosper local economies. Big powers often fund infrastructure—ports, airports, shipping facilities, but the loans or conditions attached can pull islands into dependency. China’s controversial Hambantota port project in Sri Lanka is often cited as a case where “help” may turn into a strategic foothold (Dornan & Brant, 2014).
Climate Change: Turning Survival into Diplomacy
Islands have impacted global politics in transforming climate discourse. For nations such as Tuvalu, Kiribati, and the Maldives, climate change is not a futuristic concern but an immediate existential threat. Rising sea levels often threaten to erase entire homelands. Yet instead of just pleading for sympathy, these nations have become leaders in climate diplomacy. The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) has been a powerful coalition pushing for stronger climate commitments at international summits (Betzold, 2010). Vanuatu’s 2023 push to get the International Court of Justice to issue an opinion on states’ obligations in the face of climate change was a bold step that forced global powers to reckon with their responsibilities (UN, 2023). Some islands are even experimenting with radical ideas like “digital nationhood”, i.e, preserving statehood online if the physical land disappears, or floating settlements (Burkett, 2011). In doing so, they are not just fighting for survival; they are redefining what sovereignty means in the 21st century.
Islands often expose the double standards displayed by major powers. The United States champions itself as a climate leader yet remains deeply reliant on fossil fuels, while China speaks of “green diplomacy” abroad even as it expands coal production at home and builds up its military presence on disputed reefs. By highlighting these discrepancies, small islands have positioned themselves as moral voices in global politics—a kind of conscience that demands accountability (Corbett & Veenendaal, 2018).
The Road Ahead: Survival or Reinvention?
Looking ahead, small islands face crossroads. On the one hand lies annihilation: displaced populations, disappearing land and legal battles over sovereignty. On the other hand is the reinvention: islands using partnerships, diplomacy, and innovation to remain key players. What is certain is that islands will continue to be powerful. Whether as bases in military rivalries, hubs in global trade, or champions in climate negotiations, they will remain central to 21st-century geopolitics. The growth of small island nations shows that power is not always about playing big, rather geography, strategic positioning, and diplomatic creativity allow even the smallest of states to influence the greater powers of the world. They serve as launch pads for militaries, chokepoints for global trade, and platforms for climate justice. For great powers, islands are both assets and vulnerabilities. For the islands themselves, survival depends on how well they can balance opportunity with risk.
