Indian Ocean: India is set to play a key role

15 Maio 2018, 10:00 • Shiv Kumar Singh

Summary of the class-- For millennia various ruling houses of India has treated the Indian Ocean region in civilization terms.

            The only Ocean named after a country

The Indian Ocean region has long been a key determining factor of India's cultural footprint, with people, religion, goods, and customs across Asia, Africa and the Europe.

India assumed the position as the natural heir to the region after the British departure.

            India as the moral leader for the region: The View from New Delhi

·        Mostly Security Related

·        Taken Objection to any kind of militarization

·        IO as a zone of peace

·        IO as a nuclear weapons free zone

·        Opposition to the US/British base in Diego Garcia
The current thinking:

·        “India is at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean,” -Narendra Modi. Mauritius, 2015.

·        “The Indian Ocean Region is at the top of our policy priorities.”
“Neighbourhood First” initiative designed to buttress India’s strategic position in the Indian Ocean Region.

·        This new maritime policy includes challenging Chinese political narratives and infrastructure projects in the IOR by providing new economic, port and energy-development incentives to enhance regional connectivity.- (Roy-Chaudhary, 2017).
Current Indian Operations in the IO
Quasi-military objectives:

·        Using the blue water navy for global cause

·        Anti-terrorism

·        Anti-piracy

·        Humanitarianism
New Delhi is missing out
Why India lags behind? What ails Indian position?

·        Chabahar / Seychelles / South Asia

·        Incumbent fatigue

·        No deep pocket

·        Democracy vs. authoritarian decision making