INDIA's STRATEGY IN INDIAN OCEAN AGAINST CHINA
INTRO: In today's blog, let us understand INDIA'S PRESENCE in the INDIAN OCEAN REGION and why it is crucial for INDIA both ECONOMICALLY & STRATEGICALLY TO DOMINATE THE INDIAN OCEAN.
Nearly 80% of CHINAS's ENERGY SUPPLY goes through the INDIAN OCEAN, to safeguard chinas interests it is playing really smart in the Indian ocean
let's start with
1. DJIBOUTI:
Chinas oversea naval base.
Remember the USA, FRANCE, JAPAN, also has its MILITARY BASES in DJIBOUTI. And CHINA considers the USA as its ECONOMICAL ENEMY and on the other hand relations between CHINA AND JAPAN are not good. To tackle this emerging problem and prove its dominance in the INDIAN OCEAN BELT, china built its NAVAL BASE in DJIBOUTI.
CHINA sees INDIA & US as PROMINENT COMPETITOR as INDIA'S GDP growth rate is increasing rapidly.INDIA used DIPLOMACY to counter chinas so-called "MARITIME SILK ROUTE " whos intentions were to surround INDIA in the INDIAN OCEAN. INDIAN FORCES have ties with the US and FRANCE regarding the DJIBOUTI NAVAL BASE. And JAPAN also allowed INDIAN TROOPS to use their facility.
so this area is well secured to counter Chinese presence.
2.DAMMAN
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| PICTURE CREDITS: Encyclopedia Britannica |
India has already posted DEFENCE ATTACHE to the US CENTRAL COMMAND HEAD-QUARTERS IN BAHRAIN. Due to which the INDIAN AND US NAVIES HAE A FUNCTIONAL PARTNERSHIP IN the western INDIAN OCEAN. This agreement between INDIA and the US proved very advantageous to INDIA strategically because the are of responsibility include RED SEA, GULF of OMAN, PERSIAN GULF and WESTERN ARABIAN SEA.
FRANCE also has its MILITARY BASES in the UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
3.OMAN
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| PICTURE CREDITS:GOOGLE MAPS&GLOBAL SECURITY |
INDIA has secured access to the key strategic PORT of DUQM in the Arabian sea for military use and logistic support.
another big advantage for INDIA is it has an INDIAN LISTENING STATION at OMAN which is just 400 km from GWADAR PORT in BALOCHISTAN PROVINCE of PAKISTAN which PAKISTAN and CHINESE use very often. The INDIA NAVY does regular surveillance in this region including AREAL SURVELIENCE to detect any suspicious moments.
China has taken GWADAR PORT in LEASE for 40 years from PAKISTAN.
(PORT DUQM is shown in the GREEN BOX).
4.MAURITIUS
INDIA's priority in MAURITIUS is developing a new AIRSTRIP and JETTY FACILITY on the islands which are set to install state of the art TELE-COMMUNICATIONS. INDIAN NAVY can use them from 2020 and after.INDIA currently uses
5SEYCHELLES
According to some reports, INDIA and FRANCE are to develop military basses in SEYCHELLES.
INDIAN and FRENCH NAVIES have successfully conducted 3 PHASES of the NAVAL EXERCISE VARUNA a part of which was conducted in the REUNION ISLANDS which is not much far from the Mozambique strip
INDIA ALSO USES ASSUMPTION ISLAND OF SEYCHELLES.
6.MALDIVES
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| PICTURE CREDITS: Business Insider |
MALDIVES has is inclined towards china .it has also given some islands to china to develop naval facilities most of the maritime routes/oil transits choke points from the middle east pass between INDIAN MINICOY ISLAND and NORTHER MOST MALDIVIAN ISLANDS .these routes carry a major amount of OIL to china .this is one of the reasons why CHINA is interested in MALDIVES.To combat this threat INDIA is planning to build a bigger a bigger NAVAL BASE in MINICOY islands. BITRA, KAVARATI, ANDROTH of the LAKSHADWEEP ISLAND GROUPS are the 3 islands where INDIA plans to develop FORWARD AIR BASES. The distance of these AIR BASES from MAINLAND INDIA is around 165 NM.( You can see how the thick line passes between the LAKSHADWEEP and the MALDIVES and further goes to EAST CHINA SEA )
To KEEP MY BLOGS SHORT AND READER FRIENDLY THIS POST WILL INCLUDE ONLY THE WESTERN PART OF THE INDIAN OCEAN. EASTERN INDIAN OCEAN WILL BE EXPLAINED IN THE NEXT POST.
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