India’s maritime security policy is a key driver in future: IISS
India is moving towards its goal of becoming a leading power in the Indian Ocean region through sponsoring security and economic agreements, a global strategic survey of 2017 by a Londonbased think-tank found.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) focussed on India’s maritime security policy, but also commented on US President Donald Trump’s policy on Afghanistan and South Asia and on the narrative and impact of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in the survey released on Wednesday.
On India’s proactive maritime policy in the region, Rahul Roy-Chaudhury, senior fellow for South Asia at IISS, told HT: “This leverages India’s new and emerging capabilities and assets in the Indian Ocean to maximise political and security dividends.
“India now seeks to challenge China’s narrative in economic and infrastructure development, deepen maritime security cooperation beyond that of a ‘net security provider’, push for diplomatic dividends in the south western and the eastern part of the Indian Ocean, and enhance India’s strategic links with the US, Japan and Australia.”
The survey noted that the Belt and Road Initiative was strengthening ties between Pakistan and China.
Intractable problems of cross-border terrorism, as well as instability in Kashmir, continued to damage relations between New Delhi and Islamabad in 2017.