Indian Ocean: Not Quite India’s Ocean As China Competes For Influence

Parul Chandra
November 19, 2020
7 minutes read

PM Narendra Modi seen alongside Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa during his visit to New Delhi in November last year (left); foreign minister S.Jaishankar seen alongside his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid during the latter’s visit to New Delhi in December last year. (Pic courtesy: mea.gov.in)

White sands, turquoise waters, soothing sea breezes--a bunch of island nations scattered in the Indian Ocean region (IOR) drew tourists by the thousands until the pandemic struck. But these islands are more than just playgrounds for tourists. There is a maritime 'Great Game' going on here, a game triggered by their location along strategic sea lines of communication and trade routes....Read More