COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INDIA AND CHINA’S MARITIME SECURITY POLICIES IN THE INDIAN OCEAN: IMPLICATIONS FOR REGIONAL SECURITY

Abstract

India and China place significant strategic importance on the Indian Ocean. To understand why the modernization of their navies and the protection of Sea lines of Communication (SLOCs) are so critical, it is useful to reference Alfred Thayer Mahan’s concept of Sea Power, which emphasizes the decisive role of maritime strength in national power and economic security. China’s Maritime Silk Road (MSR) initiative seeks to secure critical Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) vital to its trade and to enhance its naval capabilities. India, conversely, perceives China’s expanding maritime presence in the Indian Ocean as a strategic challenge. A systematic comparison of how both countries are formulating their maritime security policies, particularly with regard to naval modernization and alliance-building, remains an underexplored area, which this study seeks to address. The study aims to examine the underlying motivations shaping the maritime policies of India and China and to assess their respective strategies within the regional security architecture of the Indian Ocean. Employing a qualitative analytical approach, the research identifies the core features and objectives of India’s maritime security strategy and compares them with China’s strategic objectives. The findings suggest that the policies pursued by both states are contributing to increasing militarization and the potential nuclearization of the region. The analysis concludes by highlighting the intensifying naval competition between India and China, arguing that their continued expansion of maritime capabilities may prove destabilizing for regional security.