India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday highlighted international power rivalry in the Indian Ocean region, emphasizing that maintaining a strong naval presence in the vital trade route is his country’s top priority.
While Rajnath Singh did not name any country, analysts say that China, which commands the world’s largest naval force with more than 370 ships, has been a security concern for India since ties nosedived in 2020 after 24 troops died in clashes along their Himalayan frontier.
The U.K. and the U.S. also have a joint military base in the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.
Troops Pulled Back But Standoff Persists
Chinese and Indian troops have pulled back from two face-off points after a deal was struck in October following a series of talks.
India’s Army Chief however told reporters this week that “a degree of standoff” still persists.
“A large part of the world’s trade and commerce passes through the Indian Ocean region.
International Power Rivalry
Due to geostrategic reasons, the region is also becoming a part of international power rivalry,” Defence Minister Singh said during the induction of one submarine and two navy ships in the city of Mumbai.
He said that 95% of India’s trade, in terms of volume, is linked to the Indian Ocean region.
“In such a situation, the presence of a strong Indian Navy becomes our biggest priority,” he said.
India Counters China’s Regional Influence
India has sought to counter China as Beijing grows its influence in India’s neighbourhood through investments and development projects in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
New Delhi plans to build a 175-ship strong naval force by 2035 with an increasing emphasis on using domestically made components.
Analysts however say that the pace of construction is slow as compared to China.
While China builds almost 14 warships a year, India builds only four.
(With inputs from Reuters)
