India's Ocean

This book assesses India’s role as an international power in the Indian Ocean. It shows that although the Indian Ocean may seem naturally to fall within India’s sphere of influence, India in fact does not dominate the Indian Ocean. The book outlines the development of Indian thinking on its role in the region, discusses its ambivalent relationship with the United States – ambivalent because India is uncertain how closely it should ally itself with the United States, explores its attitude towards China’s growing power, and examines India’s relationship with other Indian Ocean states, including the Seychelles and Mauritius, Madagascar and the countries of East Africa, Burma and Australia. The book concludes by discussing the evolving overall shape of the region’s strategic order.