Spatiotemporal Evolution and Determinant Factors of the Intra-Regional Trade Community Structures of the Indian Ocean Region

The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has become one of the main economic forces globally, and countries within IOR have attempted to promote their intra-regional trade. This study investigates spatiotemporal evolution community structures trade impact determinant factors on formation from 1996 2017 using methods social network analysis. Trade communities are groups with measurably denser intra-trade ties but extra-trade that sparser among different communities. results show extent integration changed strengthening between 2014 weakening 2015 2017. largest explanatory power was countries’ size, indicating market remained strongest driver. second-largest geographical proximity, suggesting engaged in still tended select geographically proximate trading partners. third- fourth-largest were common civilization regional organizational memberships, respectively. indicates sharing a constructing institutional arrangements (especially open policies) helped strengthen