EASTERN PROMISES

India's overtures in the Indo-Pacific are complemented with the use of the Navy as a diplomatic tool 

- BISWAJIT DASGUPTA

Today, the salience of the Indo-Pacific region has struck the strategic consciousness of the world Tcommunity. This is chiefly because of the simmering dispute over Taiwan and Beijing’s aggressive posture in the South and East China Seas, especially with respect to the small island nations of the western Pacific. The Sino-American rivalry for dominance in these waters and the Chinese propensity to carry out ‘grey zone’ operations against US maritime forces and its allies have further sharpened focus on the Indo-Pacific.

Much of the Indo-Pacific region lies to the east of India. This region is of vital interest to India for many reasons. Most importantly, it is the gateway to the Indian Ocean from the east with crucial trade and security implications. India has traditional trade, cultural and religious linkages with many countries of southeast Asia and east Asia. There is a large Indian diaspora in this region and relations with ASEAN as a grouping and ASEAN countries individually have been on the upswing. The Indian Navy has been exercising with navies of the region for several years, including the Malabar series of exercises with the United States navy. These exercises have sometimes been conducted in the Bay of Bengal or in the western Pacific.