Ms Suyesha Dutta1
1Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, Vancouver, Canada
Biography:
Suyesha Dutta is a Research Scholar with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s South Asia Team. She holds an MSc in Modern South Asian Studies from the University of Oxford and a B.A. from the University of British Columbia, in History and Modern European Studies. Her research examines nationalism, governance, and ethnoreligious conflict in India, alongside a focus on India’s evolving role in geopolitics, security, defence, and the Indo-Pacific.
Abstract:
As the Indian Ocean Region grows in strategic and economic importance, India’s maritime strategy has undergone a significant transformation. From its earlier stance of non-alignment, India has pivoted towards forging strategic alliances and asserting itself as the region’s ‘net security provider’. This paper examines the criticality of the Indian Ocean to India’s trade and security, detailing how the country’s naval modernization, anti-piracy operations, humanitarian missions, and maritime domain awareness initiatives underpin this strategic shift. It highlights key alliances such as those with ASEAN and the QUAD, which bolster India’s influence while promoting a rules-based order.
Challenges persist, including budgetary constraints, capability gaps, and geopolitical sensitivities. The paper addresses these hurdles, alongside the implications of India’s evolving partnerships with Western powers and its increasing engagement in the South China Sea. Ultimately, the paper argues that India’s proactive maritime strategy positions it as a credible and indispensable player in the Indian Ocean Region’s security architecture, while underscoring the complexities of balancing regional leadership with strategic autonomy.