For India, China's Indian Ocean power projection, maritime domain awareness, dual-use ports, underwater surveillance, antisubmarinewarfare, naval exercises with Pakistan, pose considerable pressure, depleted India's strategic depth and marginalises Indian role, points out Srikanth Kondapalli.
Amid rising tensions, Iran reportedly launched ballistic missiles toward a US-UK military base, prompting concerns about regional stability and the potential for escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Last year, China held a meeting with some South Asian countries on COVID-19 vaccine cooperation without the participation of India.
In an address at the Global Dialogue Security Forum, he underlined the need for India to put greater focus on having strong bilateral, trilateral and multilateral arrangements with like-minded countries to maximise its strategic leverage in the region.
During an interaction at a conclave in New Delhi, he also said that the Indian Navy is seized of the docking of various PLA Navy ships at ports in Pakistan, and it is 'keeping a watch on it'.
French naval commander expresses concern over China expanding its maritime influence in the region.
The US has seized an oil tanker, 'Skywave', linked to Iran in the Indian Ocean, as part of efforts to disrupt Iran's oil shipments and enforce sanctions. The vessel was part of a network transporting sanctioned Iranian crude oil, with the seizure occurring amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
"We talk about coming together in a constructive manner. That has been our (India's) theme always. India becoming the headmaster; that is never the intention. There are similar threats like piracy that affect all nations equally like the piracy off the Somalia coast... to that extent, yes," Verma told media persons in Port Blair when asked to comment on the US suggestion in this regard last week.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised India's military modernisation efforts at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, highlighting its growing industrial and logistics capacity.
The biennial Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX) is aimed at 'validating and refining' the Navy's concept of 'operations' as well as to test overall combat capabilities, officials said on Tuesday.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR from the strategically located Karwar naval base in Karnataka, signifying India's commitment to regional maritime security. He also inaugurated newly developed infrastructure at the base, a key milestone under Project Seabird. The expansion of the naval base strengthens India's maritime security with cutting-edge facilities and advanced operational capabilities.
An Indian Army contingent, Navy warships INS Tarkash and INS Ikshak, and a naval band are participating in Seychelles' Golden Jubilee National Day celebrations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending as the Guest of Honour, underscoring the strong strategic partnership and defence cooperation between India and the archipelago nation.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will commission Mahendragiri, the sixth Project 17A indigenous stealth frigate, into the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, marking another milestone in India's journey towards defence self-reliance and indigenous warship construction.
India's Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi has stated that India is fully aware of China's increasing presence in the Indian Ocean Region, with 6-8 Chinese naval ships present at any given time. Admiral Tripathi emphasized that India knows "who goes where", suggesting strong maritime domain awareness, and has not allowed China to operate in areas of Indian interest. He also highlighted China's supply of maritime equipment to Pakistan, including submarines, which India is actively addressing to ensure its maritime security and trade.
A parliamentary panel on external affairs has expressed concern over China's growing presence and influence in the Indian Ocean Region, citing risks to India's national security and strategic interests. The panel also highlighted the strengthening China-Pakistan naval nexus as a cause for concern.
A new report suggests China's maritime vulnerability lies in the Strait of Hormuz, not Malacca, creating strategic competition in the Indian Ocean.
India cannot choose its geography and devise regional strategies to dovetail into the Western Indian Ocean hypothesis conceived in the Pentagon, argues Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
CIDCA is headed by Luo Zhaohui, the former vice foreign minister and ex-ambassador to India.
India is closely monitoring Sri Lanka's decision to offer foreign investors control of an airport near the China-controlled Hambantota port, as it could present a rare opening for Indian firms seeking strategic footholds in the Indian Ocean.
US Special Representative Sergio Gor met with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and Sri Lanka's stance on the Middle East crisis. The visit occurs amidst regional tensions and US efforts to secure trade routes in the Indo-Pacific.
Brazilian aerospace company Embraer has secured type certification from India's aviation regulator, DGCA, for three of its commercial jets (E195-E2, E190, and E195). This approval, alongside an existing certification for its E175 jet, paves the way for Embraer to expand its presence in India's regional aviation market, supported by a strategic MoU with Adani Defence & Aerospace for a Final Assembly Line in Dholera, Gujarat.
Top commanders of the Indian Navy will discuss the implications of the West Asia crisis on India's energy security and review operational readiness at a three-day conference.
The Indian Navy successfully recovered and safely disposed of an unexploded missile warhead from the MT Olympic Life crude oil tanker, which had reported an explosion off the coast of Oman and was en route to Kochi. The operation showcased the Navy's expertise in explosive ordnance disposal and its commitment to maritime safety in the Indian Ocean Region.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar affirms India's self-determined and 'unstoppable' rise, emphasising the nation's strategic growth and role in the Indian Ocean region amid evolving global dynamics.
New Delhi's regional partners in restraining a belligerent China -- primarily the US, Japan, Australia and Singapore -- would like the Indian Navy to lock down the Indian Ocean Region, while the other partners can focus on deterring the PLA (navy) in the South China Sea, explains Ajai Shukla.
It is not clear whether India will go ahead with the plan for the missile test in view of the presence of the Chinese spy ship.
It is for the first time that a senior minister has said that Iran requested permission for docking three of its ships in Indian ports.
The Indian Navy is also ramping up its operational cooperation with various friendly naval forces like the United States Navy and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force in view of the fast evolving regional security landscape, they said.
Gwadar is viewed as a critical pearl in China's maritime strategy as it would give a permanent logistical footprint near an important choke point - the Strait of Hormuz and the oil rich Persian Gulf, explains Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
While the Andaman and Nicobar islands serve as a vital, stationary asset for projecting power in the Indian Ocean, referring to them as an unsinkable aircraft carrier ignores key military and geopolitical limitations, explains Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
The monthly average rainfall over India is expected to be below normal during July, the India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday in its monthly forecast.
The deployment seems to be more than what is needed.
As China tries to gain a foothold in the Indian Ocean region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India recognised that there are other nations around the world, with strong interests and stakes in the region.
Four Rafale fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force carried out a "strategic" mission over the Indian Ocean region for over six hours, in a significant demonstration of their long-range combat capabilities, people familiar with the operation said on Wednesday.
Taking note of the "complex security matrix" in the Indian Ocean region and "political developments", Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday asked the Indian Navy to maintain high levels of preparedness in the area.
China has obtained approval to explore a 10,000 sq km polymetallic sulphide ore deposit in an international seabed region in the Indian Ocean, much to the disquiet of India. The China Ocean Mineral Resources Research and Development Association in a statement on Tuesday night said that its application for the exploration of the southwest Indian Ocean region was recently approved by the International Seabed Authority.
India is sending a shipment of diesel and petrol to Sri Lanka to help alleviate the country's energy crisis amidst regional instability.
India has successfully conducted a flight test of an advanced Agni missile featuring Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology off the coast of Odisha.
China has deployed a fleet of underwater drones called Sea Wing (Haiyi) glider in the Indian Ocean, which can operate for months on end and make observations for naval intelligence purposes, according to defence analyst HI Sutton.
With over 75 per cent indigenous content, the frigate is among the most self-reliant frontline warships built in India.
