The results from India's massive, multi-month election are in, and the verdict is a somewhat-constricted mandate for sitting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite this electoral uncertainty, one thing remains indisputable—New Delhi's view of its primary security threat. Across the political spectrum, Indian voters have made clear that they see China as posing a growing challenge in political, economic, and strategic terms.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the maritime domain, where New Delhi and Beijing are locked in a contest for dominance—one with profound regional and global implications.
In recent months, the Indian Navy has distinguished itself through anti-piracy operations in the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Gulf of Aden, taking the lead against regional threats like resurgent Somali piracy. This stepped-up activism isn't simply a reflection of India's strategic ambition. It also represents a crucial component of a larger geostrategic puzzle, because a stronger Indian Navy is directly aligned with U.S. national security interests, providing a bulwark against China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.
The Indian Ocean region is one of the planet's most strategic and economically significant areas, serving as a vital maritime trade route connecting multiple continents. Approximately one-third of global bulk cargo and two-thirds of international oil shipments transit this region, underscoring its crucial role in global trade, energy, and security. U.S. officials have repeatedly emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean region, and this mandate has become ever more important in light of the growing Chinese presence there—a presence which poses significant geopolitical concerns for both the United States and India.
That, in turn, dovetails with India's strategic vision. From India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to current premier Narendra Modi, India's global power aspirations have been unwavering. But the emphasis on becoming a naval power is a relatively recent development, driven in part by historical territorial disputes with Pakistan and a cautious approach to China following the 1962 Sino-Indian War. It is also the product of sound strategic logic. As Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla, former head of India's southern naval command, has explained, "Unless you are a maritime power you can never aspire to be a global power."
In 2018, Modi articulated India's modern Indo-Pacific vision, prioritizing regional cooperation, connectivity, and maritime security, at the Shangri-La Dialogue conference. New Delhi wasted no time putting Modi's plans into action. Over the past few years, the Indian Navy has accounted for a greater proportion of the country's overall defense budget, growing from around 14 percent to 19 percent, and in June 2023, the Indian Navy conducted a dual aircraft carrier exercise, a significant achievement that China has not replicated.
Despite these advancements, however, a significant disparity in naval power remains. China's navy is more than three times the size of India's. Beijing, moreover, is using that naval power to great effect, via the deployment of stealth submarines to Pakistan, the construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea, and other activities designed to showcase its maritime strength. These efforts are underpinned by Beijing's String of Pearls strategy, which hinges on establishing naval bases and ports around the Indian subcontinent, and has progressively sparked concerns in New Delhi.
India is not the only nation worried. China's expanding presence in the Indian Ocean region poses significant concerns for the United States, which has committed to expanding a zone of stability in the Indo-Pacific, and begun erecting regional structures (like the Quad alliance of the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia) in order to make that a reality.
In this process, supporting an enhancement of India's naval capabilities marks the logical next step. It aligns with America's interest in countering an increasingly assertive China, and it helps to deepen the already-robust bilateral ties between Washington and New Delhi. Through increased technology and military sales, joint military exercises, and enhanced information sharing, Washington can help strengthen India's ability to monitor the waters of the Indo-Pacific.
As both countries look ahead, coping with the growing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean region will be a constant challenge. Strengthening the Indian Navy should consequently rise in importance as a strategic response.