India must strengthen its Indian Ocean strategy

Source: The post India must strengthen its Indian Ocean strategy has been created, based on the article “The ocean front” published in “Indian Express” on 19th March 2025. India must strengthen its Indian Ocean strategy.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2-Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Context: India has not fully recognized the Indian Ocean’s strategic importance beyond the Navy. The region lacks strong security institutions due to diversity and self-interest. The rise of the Indo-Pacific concept has further diverted attention from IOR-focused initiatives. This article highlights the need to strengthen India’s maritime strategy.

For detailed information on India’s Growing Influence in the Indian Ocean read this article here

India’s Approach to the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

1. Strategic Importance: The Indian Ocean is crucial for India, unlike for other nations where it is just another oceanic area.
2. Institutional Efforts: India participates in IORA, BIMSTEC, IPOI, CSC, and IONS, but these efforts lack momentum. Since 2016, the Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) has gained traction in advancing SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).
3. Security and Stability: At the 8th IOC (Muscat, 2024), S. Jaishankar highlighted security concerns, including Middle East instability, Houthi threats, and South China Sea tensions. He stressed the importance of respecting agreements for stability.
4. Maritime Diplomacy: The Indian Navy plays a key role in foreign policy. It has led humanitarian efforts, including the 2004 tsunami response and multiple evacuation operations.
5. Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA): India shares real-time maritime surveillance with Seychelles, Mauritius, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, assisting in securing their exclusive economic zones.

Challenges in Building an Indian Ocean Identity

1. Lack of Strong Institutions: Unlike other regions, the IOR has no effective security framework due to national self-interest and diversity.
2. Failure of Regional Organizations: IORA, SAARC, BIMSTEC, IPOI, and CSC have failed to gain traction. Only the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) has made progress.
3. Competition from the Indo-Pacific Concept: The US-led Indo-Pacific strategy has diverted attention from an IOR-focused approach.
4. Weak Coordination: Delays in MoD-MEA coordination slow maritime security and humanitarian responses.
5. Limited Use of Military Power: India’s reluctance to use military power in foreign policy has weakened its strategic influence in the region.

Way Forward

1. Strengthen Regional Institutions: India should actively lead IOR organizations like IORA and BIMSTEC, ensuring sustained engagement.
2. Expand Maritime Diplomacy: The Navy should play a larger role, moving beyond disaster relief to strategic influence.
3. Improve Crisis Response: A fully funded security and HADR program should include amphibious heavy-lift capability and hospital ships.

4.Enhance Maritime Coordination: MoD and MEA must improve coordination for timely security and humanitarian actions.

5. Develop a National Maritime Strategy: A whole-of-government approach should integrate maritime diplomacy into India’s foreign policy.

Question for practice:

Discuss the challenges India faces in building a strong strategic identity in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and the steps it can take to strengthen its maritime strategy.