India's strategy for countering China's increased influence in the Indian Ocean

This paper examines China's increased influence in the Indian Ocean, and India's strategy to counter that influence and re-establish its profile in the region. It notes that India and China are both dependent on sea lines of communication (SLOCs) through the Indian Ocean for secure energy routes and the free movement of trade to ensure their continued economic development. However, it asserts that China's development of the so-called 'pearl' ports in the Indian Ocean and its de facto alliance with Pakistan has created a security dilemma for India.

Faced with what it perceives as geostrategic encirclement, the paper argues that India must ensure the choke points in the Indian Ocean region remain open and free, providing the conditions for its continued economic growth. To achieve this objective, the paper concludes that India needs to constructively engage with China. However, it also needs to develop a range of countermeasures, including enhancing its military capability for sea control and building closer relationships with those states which have a common interest in ensuring freedom of navigation within and through the Indian Ocean.

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