India's Strategic Interests and Maritime Security Challenges in Indian Ocean
Authored by-
- Cmde V. Venugopal
Deputy Director General
Maritime and Coastal Affairs Division
Centre for Internal Security Analysis (CISA)
Wednesday, 14 October 2026
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Background
Indian Ocean handles 90 % of the nation’s trade by volume, secures critical energy imports from West Asia and defines India ‘s geostrategic and maritime defense posture across an approximate 7500 km coastline. Our area of interest stretches along the sea routes from the strait of Hormuz and strait of Bab el Mandeb to the strait of Malacca. Maritime security of this vast region encompasses protection of coastline & islands, offshore assets & Ports, countering asymmetric threats, protection of coastal & ocean trade, prevention of illegal fishing and surveillance of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) besides the military dimension. Maritime security of Indian ocean region is an important vertical of our national security. The aim of this paper is to outline India’s strategic interests & maritime security challenges in the Indian ocean region with emphasis on threat dimensions, maritime security mechanisms in place, our regional response, monitoring Chinese engagement in the Indian Ocean and the inevitable task of maintaining balance of power in the region.
India's Strategic Interests in Indian Ocean
India‘s strategic interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) focuses on maintaining maritime safety / security, securing vital Sea lanes of Communication (SLOC), countering China’s growing military footprint, demonstrating our role as a Net Security Provider/Preferred Security Partner and as a regional leader through initiatives like SAGAR and MAHASAGAR.
Economic & Energy Security. Over 90% of India’s trade by volume and 70% by value transit via maritime routes. Most importantly critical crude oil and gas imports from middle east and west Africa pass through these waters. A sustainable blue economy in these waters involves protection of marine resources, fisheries and seabed minerals as well.
Geopolitical & Military Objectives. One of our main strategic objectives is to limit Beijing ‘s foothold and infrastructure port projects across littoral states in Indian ocean. The task of monitoring three vital choke points viz Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Bab el Mandeb & the strait of Malacca is equally important to ensure maritime security in the Indian ocean.
Diplomatic & Regional Cooperation. A vital element of diplomacy is to deepen defense, economic and intelligence ties with the island nations in Indian Ocean Region bilaterally and through multilateral forums in accordance with our Neighborhood first policy. By virtue of being a major power in the region, India has the responsibility to act rapidly as first responder for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief emergencies.
Author(s)
Cmde
V Venugopal (Retd)
Deputy Director General
CISA
Commodore Venugopal Menon completed ab initio training at the National Defense Academy (NDA) and was commissioned into the Indian Navy in January 1979. He served in the Indian Navy for 30 years in various operational roles including commands at sea, training, and staff assignments at Naval Headquarters.
India's Challenges in the Maritime Domain
India’s long coastline makes it vulnerable to various transnational threats such as terrorism, piracy, smuggling, illegal fishing etc. Further, India needs to protect its outlying islands in the western and eastern seaboard, offshore oil rigs and gas installations. The Indian economy largely relies on the sea and therefore, it is important to ensure security and freedom of navigation of the Sea lanes of communication. The Indian Ocean region is also of strategic interest due to the presence of friendly countries as well as traditional adversaries. A major cause for concern is the increasing Chinese engagement with littoral states in the region. Some of the important threat dimensions are highlighted in the succeeding paragraphs.
Asymmetric Warfare
Asymmetric warfare is a type of irregular warfare where a weaker naval power uses unconventional strategies and tactics to challenge a stronger naval power. The ongoing US Iran war has proved this aspect convincingly. In today’s world, nation states also fund and deploy non state actors viz. terror groups to support their military objectives. The type of threats in the region by non-state actors can be broadly classified under various scenarios as indicated below: -
Hijacking of an Indian oil or gas tanker by non-state actors and exploding it in mid-sea or in a major port or in a choke point to cause huge human, material, and environmental damage in addition to causing major disruption to our energy supplies and global trade.
Terrorists smuggling weapons of mass destruction material such as radiological wastes or lethal chemicals or even biological weapons in a container to assemble an improvised device and exploding it remotely in our ports.
Sea-borne terrorists carrying out a surprise attack on our major city / commercial hub, nuclear installation, oil refinery or offshore oil platforms.
Attacks on Indian flagged vessels in high seas/narrow waterways.
Recent successes in Asymmetric Warfare
The use of asymmetrical tactics as observed in Ukraine’s actions against Russia in the Black Sea, attacks on shipping by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, attacks on shipping by Iran in the strait of Hormuz and China’s deployment of militia in the South China Sea introduce new unconventional challenges to maritime security.
The utilization of combat drones adds a new dimension to maritime operations, enabling states and non-state actors to conduct reconnaissance, surveillance and potentially carry out attacks.
Nature of Asymmetric Threats
The threat is predominantly surface and air, but a future underwater threat cannot be ruled out as terror groups have access to underwater mines and semi-submersible improvised explosive devices (IED) akin to torpedoes. Due to advancement of technology and its subversive applications, the concept of cyber warfare in future cannot be ruled out. In brief, the region must be prepared to counter multi-dimensional threats from piracy, missile/drone strikes, unmanned submersibles, and possibly cyber threats in the future which makes the situation more complex.
Coastal Security Challenges
India has a vast coastline characterized by a diverse range of topography such as creeks, small bays, back waters, rivulets, lagoons, estuaries, sand bars, rocky outcrops, beaches, and small islands. Due to their remoteness, these coastal approaches to the mainland remains unguarded thereby providing ideal spots for clandestine landings of arms, explosives, and contraband as well as infiltration by terrorists. There are around 1380 landing points along the coast. It is also important to note that there are several scientific research centers, nuclear power stations, defense installations, energy infrastructure, shipyards located along the coast and offshore installations which are vital for India s energy security. Given their isolation, the Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands are also vulnerable in terms of coastal security.
Other threats that affect Maritime Security
Maritime security is also threatened by illegal fishing activities, which can deplete marine resources and undermine the livelihood of coastal communities. The increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters such as cyclones and tsunamis pose significant challenges to maritime security and emergency response efforts. Marine pollution, including oil spills and plastic wastes poses environmental and economic threats to the maritime domain which is an area of concern.
Illicit activities viz human and drug trafficking and gun running often carried out through maritime routes adds to security challenges in the region.
Mechanisms of Maritime Security in India
Maritime security is governed by a three-tiered structure viz. the Indian Navy which is tasked to protect the high seas while the Coastguard is mandated to patrol and undertake surveillance up to 200 nm which is the Exclusive Economic Zone, and the State coastal / Marine Police patrols the shallow coastal areas. Several significant measures were implemented by the Government to tighten the overall maritime security paradigm post 26/11. Some of the important initiatives are highlighted in the succeeding paragraphs.
Information Fusion Centre (IFC-IOR)
India established the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) hosted by the Indian Navy at Gurugram in 2018. The mission of the Centre is to advance maritime safety and security in the Indian Ocean region by enhancing maritime domain awareness and coordinating activities through information sharing, cooperation and expertise development along with partner nations and agencies. The Centre fuses, analyses and disseminates information on white shipping (commercial shipping) in the Indian ocean. It also aims to collaborate with national and regional agencies to generate a comprehensive maritime domain awareness.
Project SAGAR & MAHASAGAR
Project SAGAR (Security and Growth to all in the region) is India’s maritime cooperation policy in the Indian Ocean region which was launched in 2015. India seeks to deepen economic and security cooperation with its maritime neighbors and assist in building their maritime security capabilities through SAGAR. This vision has been expanded to MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth across Regions) in 2023. The objectives include the following:
Deepening economic and security cooperation with maritime neighbors.
Building maritime security capabilities in partner countries.
Safeguarding India’s national interests.
Ensuring that the Indian Ocean Region is inclusive, collaborative and respects international law.
Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)
It is an intergovernmental organization comprising of 23 member states and 12 dialogue partners focused on promoting regional cooperation and development among countries bordering the Indian Ocean. The key priority areas of IORA are maritime safety and security and disaster management, making it the primary platform for discussing and coordinating maritime security issues in the region. India is a founding member of this organization which was launched in 1997.
Integrated Coastal Surveillance System
The Integrated Coastal Surveillance System (ICSS) was developed and operated by India with the goal to protect its coastline, ensure regional security and assist friendly navies by quickly detecting, locating and monitoring maritime activity in the Indian ocean. This system was developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Bharat Electronics (BEL). It forms part of the National Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence System (NC3I). Although the ICSS was built primarily for coastal and maritime security, the system can also be used for vessel traffic management (VTM), port surveillance and navigation. The core of the ICSS is a network of land-based radar stations called the Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN). In addition to radars, stations are also fitted with electro optical sensors, thermal imagers, cameras, meteorological systems, Automatic Identification System (AIS), a distress alert transmission system (DATS), Electronic Warfare Support measures (ESM) and very high frequency (VHF) radio communication systems. Data from coastal surveillance radar stations is transmitted in real time to the nearest remote operating station which sends the information to one of the four Joint Operations Centers (JOC) at Mumbai, Kochi, Vizag and Port Blair. The JOC in turn feeds data to the National Command Control Communication and Intelligence System operated by Gurugram based Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) which is the nodal agency for maritime data fusion. Integrated coastal surveillance system is currently operational in India, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka. New systems in Bangla Desh and Myanmar are partially operational.
Anti-Piracy Operations
In late 2008, the Indian Navy joined the anti-piracy operations in Gulf of Aden providing naval escorts to merchant vessels under any flag. India’s participation in the operation was under the sanctity of UN Security council resolution 1816 (2008). Although the anti-piracy operations were coordinated by the US led Combined Maritime Force (CMF), Indian Naval ships were operating independently till 2023. A decision was taken by the Government to join the Combined Maritime Forces as a full member in November 2023 signifying participation in the multinational naval partnership focused on promoting security and stability in international waters.
Preferred Security Partner
Geostrategic location of India makes it an important player in the region for being the first responder to crisis situations due of its transitional position in the middle of the ocean trade routes interconnecting the Atlantic and Pacific having the Naval power to provide safety and security during natural calamities and threats to maritime security in the region. This role referred to as Net Security Provider has been redefined as “Preferred Security Partner” in the policy circles.
International Ship and Port Facility Code (ISPS)
International Ship and Port Facility Code is an initiative of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) which came into force in 2004. It forms the basis for comprehensive mandatory security for international shipping. As per latest data, all 13 major ports and 61 minor ports in India are ISPS certified.
China Factor
Maritime Security Rubicon in the Asia Pacific region has undergone a paradigm shift with China flexing its muscles and displaying their hegemonic intent in South & East China Sea. Further, the Belt and Road Initiative has been an instrument to spread their maritime influence in the Indian Ocean region as well. These engagements may empower China to shape the rules and norms that govern the economic affairs of the region. The Chinese maritime expansion has resulted in the importance of Indian ocean for staging big power competition to retain supremacy and hence there is an urgent need to balance the power equation in Indian ocean region. Some of the important aspects of sea power that India may need to address to balance the Chinese foray are highlighted in the succeeding paragraphs.
Overseas Bases
Overseas military bases are geographically located away from the main coastline in our area of interest. India does not have a single full-fledged military base in the Indian Ocean. However, we have observation posts and surveillance stations. The need for development of these posts into full-fledged military bases would largely depend upon the Government’s strategic objectives. This vital aspect needs to be considered eventually as any military base would be of deterrent value to counter the presence of Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean. The base would also extend the reach and provide logistic support to our Maritime Reconnaissance aircrafts and Naval ships deployed in the region.
Force level shortcomings
The author has highlighted India ‘s strategic interests and maritime security challenges in the above paragraphs. In order to achieve the objectives, Indian Navy needs to make good force level deficiencies viz critical shortage of Conventional Submarines, Mine Counter Measures (MCM vessels), Landing Platform Dock ships (LPD) to enhance sea lift capability and third aircraft carrier to ensure that two carriers are operational for sea control missions at any given time.
Future Projects
Great Nicobar Island Development Project (GNIDP) is a mega infrastructure project planned by the Government of India for Great Nicobar Island aimed at building an international container transshipment terminal, a dual use civil and military airport, a power plant and a township. The project is intended to strengthen India’s strategic presence in the Indian ocean region and reduce reliance on foreign transshipment hubs by leveraging the island’s proximity to Malacca straits. The envisaged plan also includes developing a multi model transport hub which will consist of Galathea bay international container terminal, a Cruise ship terminal, international airport, coastal expressway and a Mass Transit Rail linking port to airport. The Project is divided into three phases and is expected to be completed by 2047.
Conclusion
Maritime security is crucial for India as it directly impacts the nation’s economic prosperity, national security and geopolitical stability by safeguarding vital trade routes, protecting its long coastline and ensuring access to critical resources in the Indian Ocean which is a major pathway for its trade and energy supply: any disruption in this area could significantly affect India’s economy and stability. The increasing Chinese engagement in the Indian Ocean has complicated India’s strategic calculus in the maritime domain necessitating a paradigm shift in our maritime strategy and thinking.
This article was originally released by released by Akhil Bharatiya Poorva Sainik Seva Parishad (ABPSSP) on 04 October at Kolhapur.
Views expressed are of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Centre for Internal Security Analysis (CISA) or any of the stakeholders associated with it. Readers discretion is advised.
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