Samudra Manthan

Abstract

In recent years, China has become a dominant power with a formidable blue-water navy in the Indo-Pacific. American power projection in the South China Sea is merely an island in an ocean of enduring Chinese presence. Beijing's growing economic clout, its geopolitical aspirations combined with its grey-zone tactics in the South China Sea has consistently tested the robustness of strategic stability and international maritime law in the region. In light of such developments, the chapter argues that India needs a new Indo-Pacific strategy summarized in a multi-pronged approach. Success for New Delhi rests on four main pillars: (a) consolidating geostrategic relations with critical island nations of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR); (b) deepening multilateral engagements with ASEAN, Japan and Australia, Pacific Island nations; (c) joint naval exercises and maritime expeditions to increase interoperability of navies; and (d) shoring up critical naval warfighting capabilities at critical geostrategic locations such as the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.