India’s maritime strategy, encompassing initiatives like the ‘Necklace of Diamonds’ counter-strategy, logistics pacts with Australia, France, and Japan, coastal surveillance networks, naval bases in Seychelles, and BrahMos missile sales to the Philippines from 2024, is seen as a robust response to Chinese maritime dominance in the Indo-Pacific region. The report highlights that among Quad members, India’s unique geographic and strategic positioning enables it to play a pivotal role in pushing back against Chinese influence.
The report underscores China’s ‘String of Pearls’ strategy aimed at India, with Chinese-funded ports encircling India’s maritime boundaries. Beijing’s increased naval presence in the Indian Ocean Region, operating multiple ports, underscores its strategic focus on the region. India’s entry into the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) framework, notably through Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s SAGAR doctrine, emphasizes trust, adherence to maritime norms, peaceful conflict resolution, and cooperative security in the Indian Ocean.
India’s maritime endeavors under SAGAR have included anti-piracy operations, humanitarian missions, and coastal surveillance radar installations across Indian Ocean littoral states. The country expanded its maritime vision with MAHASAGAR, promoting security and growth across regions as an inclusive alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Through initiatives like AIKEYME naval exercises and joint patrols, India has sought to enhance maritime cooperation with African and South Asian nations.
The report points out that India’s independent stance, refraining from formal security alliances with the US, distinguishes its approach within the FOIP framework. By participating on its terms, India signals to nations in ASEAN, Africa, and South Asia that FOIP is not a containment strategy but a collaborative effort. Emphasizing inclusivity is deemed crucial for FOIP’s credibility as a region-wide organizing principle, steering away from Cold War dynamics.
