China-India rivalry in the Indian Ocean

March 15, 2024

KATHMANDU – Several developments in the recent past in the western Indian Ocean indicate how the states of the region are reasserting the domination of their strategic space as the geopolitics of the Indian Ocean intensifies. As the news of India replacing its defence personnel with civilian technical staff to operate the Dornier aircraft and two helicopters that India has gifted to the Maldives came in, there were reports that on March 4, the Maldives and China signed a defence agreement. Prior to this, on March 2, India inaugurated its second full-fledged naval base, INS Jatayu on Lakshadweep’s Minicoy island, upgrading what was earlier a naval detachment. This base is 130 kilometres from the Maldives and will give India a vantage point to monitor the waters off the East Coast of Africa.

Dominating the Indian Ocean

India has been sprucing up its naval capacity in recent years. Its first tri-service base, the Andaman & Nicobar Command, will overlook the strategic Malacca Strait. The Indian Ocean islands are also trying to extract concessionary loans and development projects by renting strategic facilities to dominant powers. India is already developing a facility on North Agaléga Island in Mauritius by investing $250 million under its Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) programme.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritius counterpart, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, virtually inaugurated an airstrip and a jetty on the Mauritius island on February 29, 2024. The airstrip would reportedly help Dornier aircraft operations. This airstrip will likely enhance the air and sea connectivity of the Mauritian Defence Force to safeguard their interests in the country’s outer island. Like the