The Book Begins With A General Picture Of How Man Set Out To Sea And Then It Deals With The Evolution Of Raft And Boat-Building. It Describes Indias Maritime Heritage From The Earliest Days Upto The 16Th Century. The Book Then Points Out How The Monopoly Of The Arab Middlemen In The Sea Trade Was Broken By The Entry Of The European Powers, Followed By Local Wars At Sea. While Tracing The Sea Battles Of The European Powers In The East, The Reasons For Rise And Fall Of The Portuguese, The Dutch And The French Have Been Discussed. How The British Achieved Supremacy In The Indian Ocean Has Been Highlighted. The Progress Of Indias Shipping And Shipbuilding, The Comparative Position Of Maritime States, The Impediments In Competing With Developed Nations, And Measures To Overcome These Handicaps Have Been Discussed. The Abundant Resources Of The Oceans Around Us, The Indian Achievement So Far In The Utilisation Of The Bonanza And The Shortcomings In This Endeavour Have Been Analysed. The Extent Of The Exclusive Economic Zone (Fez) And Indias Rights And Responsibilities As Per International Law Of The Sea, Have Been Brought Out.The Role Of The Indian Navy Since Independence, Its Progress From A Coastal Force To A High Seas Fleet In The Missile Age, Its Achievements And Drawbacks Have Been Examined. The Indian Navys Role In Liberation Of The Portuguese Possessions, The 1965 Pakistan Conflict And The 1971 Pakistan War And The Lessons Learnt In These Operations Have Been Analysed.The Birth, Progress And Role Of The Coast Guard Service Have Been Succinctly Brought Out. The Book Concludes By Highlighting The Importance Of The Sea Around Us, And How The Indian Ocean Rim Countries Can Co-Operate In Making The Indian Ocean A Zone Of Peace For The Benefit Of Mankind At Large.