INS Jatayu in Lakshadweep

India braces for China's growing muscle-flexing in the Indian Ocean

The establishment of a second naval base in Lakshadweep, INS Jatayu is a key part of this strategy.  It's a calculated move to counter China's influence in the Indian Ocean Region.

An Indo-Lankan naval task force in Palk Bay to meet China's strategic challenge?

China has tried to set up a hybrid renewable energy system mixed with solar, wind, and other renewables on three islands in the Jaffna Peninsula. It was later cancelled. There is no economic reason for hosting such a project in a place so close to India.

Can Australia overcome ASEAN divide to promote a common Indo-Pacific security vision?

Australia has succeeded in sending a strong message to both ASEAN and China. To ASEAN, Canberra has communicated its commitment both in economic and security terms. The keyword will be a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is in line with the overall security vision of the West. 

Why America and the West remain critical for Indo -Pacific security

The US meanwhile, remains resilient in its future demographic and economic growth projection and stability, alongside the prospects of India. The so-called rise of China is now reversing, and the perceived decline of the US and the West is not happening.

More on Indo Pacific - China Watch

China's cartographic brinkmanship amid its rising internal challenges will exacerbate Indo-Pacific tensions

India is increasingly being courted by the US-led West as a bulwark to Beijing, and China will want to send a two-pronged message to Delhi and Washington as well as regional neighbours that Beijing still holds the economic and security upper hand, although its economic credentials have taken a serious hit.

Why Australia needs Malaysian support in the Indo-Pacific to counter China's assertiveness

Facing encroaching Chinese naval presence and power projections in the Pacific Island states on its eastern flank, and an assertive bid by Beijing to challenge the naval presence of Delhi and Washington in the Indian Ocean to its western flank, Australia is faced with its highest threat level in decades.

China’s enhanced Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) strategy: A lesson for India and the global community

In the last decade, one has observed repeated and serious attempts by Chinese research vessels to collect data in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The year 2018, saw 24 research cruises by Chinese vessels in the IOR, whereas during the same period six other nations, including US, India, France and others, have undertaken only 26 such cruises in the IOR.

Does India-China border resolution hinge on Xi's attendance at G20?

Indian media may do any amount of spin doctoring, including claiming that the bilateral meeting was requested by the Chinese side, but the noteworthy issue is that none of the two Chinese statements mention disengagement and de-escalation.

ASEAN must reform or become irrelevant; need to get out of China's vice-like grip

The influence of China and its grip on the region remain a predominant factor that has divided ASEAN. One-sided economic dependence on Beijing and the fear of inciting its potential wrath and economic retaliation and potential hard-power measures have stymied the full capacity of the region in managing regional power parity. 

Why closer Brunei-Malaysia ties important for regional security

Maritime security and stability remain of utmost importance to both Brunei and Malaysia, and Brunei has enhanced its preparedness in this regard by joining the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) maritime exercise with the US.

Myanmar’s muddled politics is leading to Irreparable environmental devastation

This gradual decline of the environment - with disastrous consequences for the region including northeastern India and Bangladesh - cannot be arrested without the cooperation of the military rulers who are neck-deep in corruption and self-aggrandizement.

Japan-Australia military exercise in the South China Sea: Will it ease or exacerbate regional tensions?

The growing maritime competition between China and Japan along with the West will result in the growing militarization of the Indo-Pacific.

India-Malaysia strategic tie-up important for regional maritime stability

The Indian Navy remains a highly trained, disciplined and proficient force that has stepped up cooperation with other navies in the Indo-Pacific through the annual Malabar exercises. India’s naval modernisation are a strategic response to Beijing’s muscle-flexing in the region, including in the Indian Ocean, especially with Beijing’s strategic penetration into India’s neighbours Sri Lanka,  Pakistan and Bangladesh through the 'strings of pearls' encirclement with its wider regional ramifications.

Why PM Modi's US visit has rankled China

Thus, China views PM Modi’s visit to the US as a gathering storm for its ambitions to dominate Asia in military, economic and technological spheres. That these are due to China’s recent political and strategic choices is ignored.

Hasina highlighted Bangladesh’s security strategy, Indo Pacific cooperation in Japan visit

Bangladesh expressed its commitment to walk alongside Japan, a leading creator of the QUAD alliance in the Indo-Pacific strategy, for the sake of a peaceful Indo-Pacific region.

New India, UAE, US, Saudi partnership for regional good in ‘shared interests’

Unlike in the Indo-Pacific region, where China poses a security issue for India and US, the challenge in the Middle East is from Beijing’s subtle economic and political push through its Belt and Road Initiative. 

To counter China, Japan preparing to play a more dominant role in Indian Ocean/ Indo Pacific

Japan now wants to provide its leadership role in the region for the Western world. Washington, which was so long seeking to counter China through India, has now turned to Japan as it felt that New Delhi was not living up to that role.

ASEAN must change or face irrelevance

ASEAN remains ill-equipped to handle the fallout from the tensions in the South China Sea or the potentiality of a full-blown Taiwanese conflict.

Strategic significance of the 6th Indian Ocean Conference in Bangladesh

Against this backdrop, India has been promoting the idea of ‘net security provider’ in South Asia and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).