China's quest for hegemony in the Indian ocean; strategic implications for India

Abstract

India and China are rising at an incredible rate, economically and strategically, aspiring for great power status. So, there exists a competition between the two states, for influence with competing and conflicting interests. Both China and India being highly populated and growing economies has a strong reliance on Indian Ocean for energy and trade purposes. Future security environment of the Indian Ocean depends upon how China can manage its rise and how India might balance itself against China's dominance. Growing importance of Indian Ocean in Beijing strategic calculus suggests that there would be perpetual security competition between the two states. Military up gradation and expansion of both states in the Indian Ocean shows that flashpoints in maritime domain would make conflict likely to happen. On the other hand, economic interdependence and credible nuclear deterrence is likely to refrain both states from involvement in a strategic misadventure. Both states need to behave carefully to alleviate asymmetric competitiveness in the naval domain.