Indian Ocean Region
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
India boosts naval fleet as China’s regional shadow looms
Mandeep Singh India’s expanding naval fleet is upholding security and stability across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), a vital corridor for global shipping, officials and analysts say. With the recent commissioning of three domestically built vessels — and with about 60 large vessels under construction — the maritime forces of the world’s most populous country are a key counterweight to…
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Conflicts - Tensions
India fortifying Andaman and Nicobar Islands amid concerns over PRC’s regional push
Mandeep Singh India is undertaking a major military and infrastructure buildup in its Andaman and Nicobar Islands as concerns grow over the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) activities in the strategic region. The Bay of Bengal archipelago of more than 800 islands, islets and rocky outcrops, of which fewer than 40 are inhabited, is about 1,200 kilometers from the Indian…
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Partnerships
India, Maldives strengthen maritime security ties to support regional stability
Mandeep Singh India and the Maldives have realigned their defense and maritime security partnership to foster deeper collaboration and enhance security across the Indian Ocean region. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership during Muizzu’s visit to New Delhi in October 2024. The strategic…
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Partnerships
Malabar 2024 emphasizes protecting sea lines of communication, countering submarines
FORUM Staff The multinational exercise Malabar 2024, hosted by India, began October 8 in the Bay of Bengal with advanced drills among the navies of the Quad security partnership: Australia, India, Japan and the United States. The forces focused on anti-submarine warfare, maritime interoperability and enhancing regional security. The Bay of Bengal is central to vital sea lines of communication…
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Conflicts - Tensions
U.S.-led coalition preserves maritime security in Red Sea
FORUM Staff Houthi rebels in Yemen have indiscriminately attacked more than 70 vessels in the Red Sea since October 2023, disrupting an estimated $1 trillion in commerce on shipping lanes crucial to Asia, Europe and the Middle East. A United States-led coalition tasked with preserving maritime security in the region has repeatedly intercepted the missiles and drones targeting vessels. The…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Indian Navy pledges to ensure security amid piracy, rebel attacks
FORUM Staff India’s growing naval presence in the Red Sea region reflects its commitment to safety and security along the vital trade route. New Delhi has surveillance aircraft and at least 12 vessels focused on preventing piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, Reuters news agency reported in late January 2024. A multinational coalition is working separately…
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Conflicts - Tensions
Indian Ocean nations promote rules-based order as PRC seeks to expand presence
Mandeep Singh Building multinational, collaborative frameworks to mitigate shared security concerns in the Indian Ocean region (IOR) was the overarching goal of defense and security officials at the fourth biennial Goa Maritime Conclave in late October 2023. The three-day event, hosted by India’s Naval War College in the country’s southwestern state of Goa, included participants from Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Madagascar,…
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Conflicts - Tensions
India readying military base on Mauritian island to counter PRC’s influence
Mandeep Singh India is preparing to open a military installation on the Mauritian island of North Agalega as part of an initiative to enhance maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The final preparations follow the September 2023 meeting of the leaders of India and Mauritius, and the nations’ signing in November 2023 of a memorandum of understanding…
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Illicit Activity
Indian military, law enforcement cooperate to tackle maritime narcotics trade
Mandeep Singh The trafficking of drugs by sea from Central to South Asia is on the rise, prompting cooperation among India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Navy and Coast Guard, and with the navies of neighboring countries. The maritime capabilities of India’s Armed Forces, particularly its Navy, give Indian law enforcement essential tools to counter seaborne drug smuggling, according to experts,…
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