Why in News?

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs has flagged the growing presence of extra-regional powers in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as a major strategic challenge, especially China’s expanding footprint.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Significance of the Indian Ocean
• Chinese Advances in the Indian Ocean
• Key Highlights of the Report
• India’s Response: Regional Partnerships and Sensitisation

Significance of the Indian Ocean

• Since the early 2000s, the Indian Ocean's significance has resurged, becoming a critical zone in global security and economic dynamics.
• Rise of Regional Economies and Trade Networks
  • The emergence of new economies, especially India and China, has increased the Indian Ocean’s role in global trade and connectivity, turning it into a central hub of commerce.
• Maritime Security and Piracy Threats
  • The rise of piracy off the Somali coast highlighted vulnerabilities in Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs), prompting enhanced maritime security efforts across the region.
• Indo-Pacific as the New Geostrategic Construct
  • The Indo-Pacific framework, which links the Indian and Pacific Oceans, has elevated the Indian Ocean’s strategic value, positioning it as a central axis in the evolving global order.

Chinese Advances in the Indian Ocean

• Unlike its overt assertiveness in the South China Sea, China has adopted a long-term, calculated approach in the Indian Ocean, gradually enhancing its footprint through economic, political, and maritime initiatives.
• Strategic Port Infrastructure and Political Engagement
  • China is expanding its influence in the IOR by:
    • Strengthening political and economic ties with littoral states like Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Bangladesh.
    • Investing in dual-use port infrastructure across the region.
• Surveillance via Research Vessels
• China has been deploying research and survey vessels in the Indian Ocean, docking them in countries like Sri Lanka and Maldives.
• These vessels are believed to support underwater surveillance and data gathering, posing a potential security threat to India’s maritime interests.
• Launch of the China-Indian Ocean Forum
  • In 2022, China initiated the China-Indian Ocean Forum, aiming to take the lead in regional governance and multilateral cooperation.
  • India’s notable absence from the forum highlights a growing geopolitical divergence in the region.

Key Highlights of the Report

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs identifies the increasing involvement of extra-regional players, especially China, as a major strategic challenge for India in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• Dual-Use Infrastructure and Surveillance Expansion
  • China is developing ports, airports, and logistics hubs for dual-use purposes.
  • It is also deploying survey and research vessels to gather sensitive maritime and oceanographic data, boosting its maritime domain awareness.
• Naval Power Projection and Military Base in Djibouti
  • Since establishing a military base in Djibouti (2017), China has expanded its naval presence, increasing both the number of vessels and the duration of deployments across the IOR.
• Strategic Assets Near India’s Maritime Boundary
  • China is actively building dual-use infrastructure in IOR littoral states, including areas near India’s maritime boundary, aiming to support logistical functions and assert maritime dominance.

India’s Response: Regional Partnerships and Sensitisation

• India is working with partner nations in the IOR to raise awareness about China's long-term strategic intentions and the security implications of its expanding footprint.
• Assurance from Sri Lanka
  • In December 2024, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake reiterated that Sri Lanka would not allow its territory to be used against India’s security or regional stability.
• India’s Stand on BRI and the CPEC
  • India maintains a principled opposition to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• Projecting Leadership in Maritime Security
  • India is emerging as a first responder and preferred security partner in the IOR, particularly in:
    • Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)
    • Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA)
    • Developmental aid
  • PM Modi’s launch of the MAHASAGAR doctrine (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth for All in the Region) redefines India’s regional vision.
• Strengthening Regional Security Institutions
  • India is actively reinforcing institutional maritime cooperation, aiming to exclude China from Indian Ocean affairs:
    • Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)
    • Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS)
    • Information Fusion Centre – IOR (IFC-IOR)
    • Quad and Colombo Security Conclave
• Naval Modernisation and Indigenous Capability Building
  • India is investing heavily in the indigenous development and modernisation of naval assets, with a focus on force build-up and operational readiness in the Indian Ocean.