As China is flexing its military muscle in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR), Chief of Defence Staff(CDS)General Bipin Rawat said on Friday a race is on among nations to have strategic bases in the region. Given the importance of the zone, more than 120 warships of extra-regional forces are now there to back various missions, he said.
His observations came in the backdrop of India playing a crucial role in the field of maritime domain in the strategically important Indian Ocean region. Moreover, it has bolstered relations with all the littoral states located on the rim of the region.
China started increasing its military prowess in the Indian Ocean region since 2008 by deploying its warships for anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden. As of now, there are three to four Chinese warships in the region.
In this background, Rawat said here in an online conference there has been a "race for strategic places and bases" in the Indian Ocean Region which is only going to gain momentum in times to come.
An increasing number of countries are focusing on the IOR considering its geo-strategic importance. "At present, there are over 120 warships of extra-regional forces deployed in the Indian Ocean region in support of various missions. Till now the region, by and large, remained peaceful," Rawat said at the Global Security Summit.
The Indian Ocean, considered the backyard of the Indian Navy, is critical for India's strategic interests. China has been making concerted efforts to increase its presence in the region.
Referring to India's aspirations to become a major global power, he said the country will have to achieve it despite living in a "tough neighbourhood" and in an "increasingly contested" region.
"We are witnessing a race for strategic places and bases in the Indian Ocean Region which is only going to gain momentum in times to come. Based on challenges we face as a rising regional power, we require structured long-term planning for capability building and capability development of our defence forces.
"In our quest to build a stronger India, we need a peaceful and stable security environment. We need to maintain our strategic autonomy and cooperative relations underscored by strong regional linkages," he said.
Referring to the evolving geo-political scenario, the CDS said China's "economic and military rise coupled with competition increased its influence and attracted a great deal of interest.
Rawat said the world appears to be on the brink of a new era as new centres of power and alliances based on geo-politics are emerging putting pressure on the Bretton Woods institutions.
He said the Indo-Pacific region in general and the Indian Ocean region in particular will remain vital for transit and world trade. "Today, we are facing increasing security challenges, and to my mind, the best guarantor of peace and stability is to have dissuasive deterrence. For a nation like India, the security of land borders remained our primary concern," he said.
"Therefore, there is a need to develop integrated structures to ensure modernisation programmes to be undertaken by our armed forces based on careful assessment of the nature of threats and challenges," he added.
He also said most of the countries in the Indian Ocean region are seeking to reap the economic dividends through improved connectivity and harnessing blue economy for which infrastructure is a pre-requisite.
Residents' powers and extra-regional power have shown a renewed interest in investing in infrastructure development in these countries to maintain and increase geopolitical influence, Rawat said.
He said governance and security are under constant threat of being undermined by non-state actors and also naval competition among the states.