India’s Maritime Security Strategy in the Indian Ocean Region: An Analysis

Abstract

In the Indian Ocean region, India faces a complex and evolving maritime security environment, with threats ranging from piracy, terrorism, illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and environmental degradation, to great power rivalry. Given its extensive maritime borders with the Indian Ocean, it is critical for the country to manage maritime security challenges in this space. To address those challenges India focuses on restructuring its age-old maritime strategies and policies concerning the IOR. Modernizing and expanding the Indian Navy, improving diplomatic connections and interactions with Indian Ocean littoral states, promoting the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace, and adopting a posture of strategic autonomy are among the recently enacted policies and strategies. Despite its best efforts, India's maritime strategy falls short of providing a comprehensive plan to equip the country to confront the unprecedented challenges emanating from the Indian Ocean region.