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Realignments and evolving nuclear capabilities in the Indian Ocean: effects on security environment

ABSTRACT The strategic maritime environment of the Indian Ocean exhibits growing geopolitical tussle between the U.S. and China and have regional implications. In an attempt to contain the rising influence of China, U.S. strengthens its collaboration with India to elevate its status as a ‘net security provider’ in the region by offering it access to highly sophisticated defence related equipment. This paper is an attempt to contextualise the regional dimension of superpower rivalry. It offers analysis of India’s evolving maritime strategy and primarily focuses on two significant trends that directly undermine regional stability. These include: first, introduction of ‘Indo-Pacific’ as a regional construct that enables India to enhance its naval capabilities and use maritime diplomacy to forge strategic relationships in its pursuit of dominating the Ocean and secondly, the maritime dimension of South Asian strategic environment where India’s pursuit of sea-based nuclear forces further adds to New Delhi’s aggressive nuclear posture and directly undermines deterrence stability vis-à-vis Pakistan.