Century of the Seas: Unlocking Indian Maritime Strategy in the 21st Century - Significance of Indian Ocean to Protecting India Overseas Trade from Threats, Fleet Modernization in the South Asia Region

This late 2017 report has been professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction.

India's maritime security strategy document, Ensuring Secure Seas, was released in 2015 and sets the Indian Ocean as a priority for India's foreign policy with the goal of maritime dominance. What are the driving factors that influence this new maritime strategy that elevates the Indian Navy beyond its traditional "Cinderella service" role? This thesis attempts to answer this question. In order to accomplish this objective, this thesis looks at the significance of the Indian Ocean for the major state and non-state players that have considerable stakes in the region, as well as their maritime capabilities relative to India. Next, the thesis examines India's modernization efforts of its fleet and naval doctrine to carry out the roles defined in Ensuring Secure Seas. Finally, this thesis examines India's economic policies, specifically maritime trade, as well as domestic politics, to see how they engage and shape Indian maritime strategy. These findings present a combined analysis of economic, security, and political factors mentioned above, centered on a primary focus of security and stability within the Indian Ocean region, to foster continued prosperity of India's overseas trade networks. The driving factors that shape Ensuring Secure Seas are heavily influenced by India's overseas trade and the need to protect that trade against various threats. This study should benefit strategists and policy-makers alike with regard to the South Asia region.

I. INTRODUCTION * A. MAJOR RESEARCH QUESTION * B. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH QUESTION * C. LITERATURE REVIEW * 1. Maritime Strategy * 2. Indian Maritime Strategy * 3. Indian Ocean Significance and Indian Regional Relations * D. POTENTIAL EXPLANATIONS AND HYPOTHESES * E. RESEARCH DESIGN * F. THESIS OVERVIEW * II. THE INDIAN OCEAN: ACTORS AND THEIR RELATION TO INDIA * A. BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE * B. UNITED STATES * 1. United States and the Indian Ocean * 2. U.S.-Indian Relations * 3. United States as a Maritime Threat * C. PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA * 1. Significance of the Indian Ocean to China * 2. Sino-Indian Relations * 3. China as a Maritime Threat * D. PAKISTAN * 1. Significance of the Indian Ocean to Pakistan * 2. Pakistan-Indian Relations * 3. Pakistan as a Maritime Threat * E. NON-STATE ACTORS * F. CONCLUSION * III. THE INDIAN NAVY—CAPABILITIES AND DOCTRINE * A. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND * B. INDIAN NAVAL CAPABILITIES * 1. Aircraft Carriers * 2. Submarines * 3. Surface Combatants * C. MARITIME STRATEGY * 1. India's Maritime Interests * 2. Power Projection and Sea Control * 3. Self-Reliance and Self-Sufficiency * IV. INDIA'S TRADE, ECONOMY, AND DOMESTIC POLITICS * A. INDIA'S ECONOMY AND FOREIGN TRADE * B. THE INFLUENCE OF TRADE UPON SEA POWER * C. MODI AND THE BJP: GETTING INDIA BACK ON TRACK FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH * D. MAINTAINING AND OPERATING THE INDIAN NAVY * V. CONCLUSION * A. RESEARCH FINDINGS * B. AREAS FOR FURTHER STUDY * C. CONCLUSION