Navigating India's Future Maritime Strategy in the 21st Century

The world order of the 21st century demands dynamic foreign policy from nation-states.

- Dr. Smriti Shukla and Ms. Dikumoni Hazarika

Introduction

Dwindling between survival, alliance, and belligerence, nation-states are crafting foreign policy accordingly. In this line, India is asserting its position in global politics. It is evident with changes in foreign policy and through terms like de-hyphenation, strategic autonomy, etc. One such significant change is focusing on waters below the Indian Ocean. The Indian foreign policy of the 21st century witnessed the emergence of India as an important player in the Indian Ocean region. It is evident with the increasing involvement of India with the Island States of Africa like Seychelles, Mauritius, etc., signing joint strategic vision with France, revitalizing the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), constituting the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), etc. With a vast coastline of 7,500 km, 1,200 islands, and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of about 2,000,000 km², India’s maritime interface is a crucial component of its strategic interests. The ancient Indian epic, Mahabharata, refers to the subcontinent as Jambudwipa the ‘Island of the Jamun (Indian blackberry) tree.’ The maritime dimension of India’s regional and global diplomacy has gained greater importance with globalization, especially since the end of the Cold War in 1991.

Emergence of Indian Naval Doctrines