India’s Maritime Security Challenge

The Indian Ocean has always been, and will remain, on the strategic radar of great powers. Given its strategic location with abundant oil, mineral resources and fisheries, and being a hub of vast seaborne global trade and oil routes, it has turned out to be an arena of geopolitical rivalry among world powers and regional states. In today’s age of increasing global economic integration, security in the Indian Ocean region (IOR) has become more problematic and complex given the persistent threats to the smooth flow of trade and commerce which demands freedom of navigation and security of sea lanes.

Insofar as India is concerned, as a “resurgent maritime nation,” it has myriad interests in the Indian Ocean, ranging from energy security, economic growth, safety of the sea lanes to its maritime ambition to play a leading role in shaping the security architecture in the IOR.

India’s New Vision for Maritime Security

India’s new vision for maritime security is comprehensively articulated in Ensuring Secure Seas: Indian Maritime Security Strategy, a 2015 document by the Indian Navy.

This document clarifies that the Indian Navy’s interest areas now cover the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, IOR Island nations, Southwest Indian Ocean and East Coast of Africa littoral countries among many other nations and areas. The South China Sea, East China Sea and Western Pacific Ocean and their littoral nations are included in the Indian Navy’s secondary priority areas.

The document highlights some key facets of the nautical dynamic in India’s maritime neighbourhood:

  • One, it acknowledges the hybrid nature of maritime challenges – the blurring of lines between traditional and non-traditional threats.
  • Two, it validates the use of the Navy as the primary instrument to secure the seas for economic purposes.
  • Equally, the document recognises India’s bilateral relationships in its maritime neighbourhood – a space where the Navy must operate in the spirit of mutual respect and with due regard for international law and established nautical norms.

The Chinese Angle in IOR

China is interested in having a firm hold in the Indian Ocean for expansion of commerce. A sub-text of this plan is to keep India under pressure so that it may not be able to challenge Chinese activities. This plan was unveiled by China in “Peking Review” in September 1984 by a Chinese Vice-Premier. The plan included connecting the outlying provinces with Myanmar’s and Pakistan’s ports.

In accordance with this plan, China has systematically established ports in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Chinese activities in the South China Sea also deserve to be kept in view. Chinese creeping occupation of features in South China Sea is continuing and is sending its patrol boats to areas claimed by it as also in East China Sea where it is claiming Senkaku Islands of Japan. The Chinese have re-organised the Coast Guards for this purpose and are focussing to enhance their naval force.

The dominance of South China Sea is a part of Chinese grand strategy to reach to the Indian Ocean. While use of Indian Ocean for commercial purposes is their legitimate desire, it needs to be seen that their activities do not create security problems for India.

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