NEW DELHI – India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday emphasized the growing international power rivalry in the Indian Ocean region, describing a strong naval presence as India’s foremost priority given the area’s strategic importance as a global trade route.
“A large part of the world’s trade and commerce passes through the Indian Ocean region. Due to geo-strategic reasons, the region is also becoming a part of international power rivalry,” Singh said during a ceremony in Mumbai marking the induction of a submarine and two navy ships.
Singh did not explicitly name countries involved in the rivalry, but experts point to China as a key concern for India. China’s rapidly expanding naval force, currently the largest in the world with over 370 ships, has been viewed with apprehension, especially after border tensions in 2020 led to deadly clashes between Chinese and Indian troops.
India has also been wary of China’s increasing influence in neighboring nations like Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan through significant investments and infrastructure projects.
Singh highlighted the critical role of the Indian Ocean for India, noting that 95% of the nation’s trade by volume is connected to the region. He stressed that bolstering India’s navy is a top priority to safeguard national interests and counterbalance foreign powers.
India aims to establish a 175-ship naval force by 2035, with a focus on self-reliance and domestic production. However, experts warn that India’s shipbuilding pace—around four warships per year—lags significantly behind China’s capacity of constructing approximately 14 annually.
Singh’s remarks underscore the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean as a stage for competing geopolitical interests, involving not only China but also the US and UK, who maintain a joint base on Diego Garcia.