India’s strategic outlook

India being the littoral state along the Indian Ocean has strengthened its naval muscles. The Indian Navy’s ‘Defensive Maritime Strategy’ has been transformed into an ‘Assertive Strategy’. Andaman and Nicobar islands are the focal areas of India’s Pacific maritime strategy. India has a guided missile frigate (INS Karmuk) and two P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircrafts deployed on the Andaman Island.

India is part of region’s naval exercises. It has taken the boat to sail through the waters of Indo-Pacific. Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s statement at the 2019 Delhi Dialogue and at the joint Indian Ocean Dialogue merits consideration in this regard. He points to Indo-Pacific significance: “India is increasing the area covered by its Indo-Pacific policy to include the Western Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. This includes the neighbours in the Gulf, the island nations of the Arabian Sea and Africa. Stretching the geographical and strategic area of the Indo-Pacific to encompass not merely a region stretching Eastwards from India, which would have the ASEAN as the central focus, India is now incorporating the Western Pacific Indian Ocean and Africa.”

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has delegated a specific Wing to Indo-Pacific region. The Wing foresees regional developments with particular focus on ASEAN, Quad and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). In September 2020, an Oceania division was created in MEA. The Oceania division has identified ‘maritime space from Western Pacific to Andaman Sea as area of significance. India’s ideation of Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), deployment (frontline vessel) along Malacca, Quad and the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative (IPOI) are all efforts directed towards maritime influence in region. The IPOI launched by India (November 2019) is based on ‘Act East policy’. India has approached Vietnam to partner in IPOI. During the 17^th India-Vietnam Joint Commission Meeting (August 2020), both the countries agreed to strengthen the bilateral cooperation in trade, economics and technology. The Vietnamese military personnel get training in India. India has also offered submarine training to Indonesia. India’s enhanced maritime exchanges with regional countries, including Vietnam, Japan, Singapore and Indonesia speculates a likely role in South China Sea and East China Sea.

Seeing its role in South Asia vis-à-vis Asia Pacific, India is a regional hegemon. Contrarily, in Asia Pacific, India through allies and partnerships is making inroads. Indian Navy’s upcoming strategy towards the Pacific apart from naval exercises with regional countries is focusing on deployments across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The launch of ‘Mission Based Deployment’ is an initiative in this direction. Under this initiative, India is likely to increase the numbers of frigates and large patrol vessels in the IOR. India has sold a patrol vessel to Mauritius, fast attack crafts to Seychelles, Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) to Sri Lanka and advanced light helicopters to Maldives. India has also deployed coastal surveillance radars in Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Seychelles and Maldives. In addition, India plans to develop sea and air infrastructures on the Agalega Islands, Mauritius and on Assumption Island, Seychelles. India’s politico-military interaction with the IOR is to reinforce footprints in region. Besides, India wants to be viewed as the ‘net security provider’ for the region. It has also leased the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport co-located with the Hambantota seaport of Sri Lanka.

India’s IOR strategy also focuses on region’s seaports. India has supported the Iranian seaport of Chabahar and Port Duqum in Oman. At the multilateral fronts, India has presence in the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium. Thus, India’s strategy in Indian Ocean is an all-encompassing, involving political, military, security and economic moves. The moves by India to fortify presence in Indian Ocean and to secure allies along the Pacific are efforts to widen the geopolitical horizon.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2023.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.