India’s Evolving Maritime Domain Awareness Strategy in the Indian Ocean

Abstract

Darshana Baruah, an emerging Indian maritime security analyst, examines India’s heightened focus on improving maritime domain awareness in the coastal domain, EEZ and far seas. This is increasingly being driven by growing naval presence in the Indian Ocean. Of particular concern is India’s ability to monitor the passage of PLA Navy submarine passages to Pakistan and elsewhere in the Indian Ocean. Despite improved maritime situational awareness in coastal waters, India still has difficulty in tracking surface and subsurface vessels transiting its EEZ or neighbouring waters. This will likely require coordination and collaboration with friendly states. Baruah concludes that despite India’s traditional attachment to strategic autonomy, the difficulties in any one country developing maritime domain awareness across the Indian Ocean will be a key driver in greater defence cooperation with the United States and its allies.

An Economic Development Policy Implementation Approach to Creation of Sustainable Maritime SMMEs in the KwaZulu-Natal Province

“…Furthermore, financing of the maritime sector only focuses on shipping without including maritime sub-sectors like aquaculture and tourism (Baruah, 2018). According to Baruah (2018), competition with the South African shipyards is another challenge facing the maritime sector, influenced by the low costs of building ships in foreign shipyards due to readily available government support and financial aid, lack of regulation, and lower wages (Baruah, 2018). It has led recently to the closure of many companies that built yachts due to financial problems.…”

“…It has led recently to the closure of many companies that built yachts due to financial problems. On the other hand, the South African maritime sector has low investment capital compared to other countries due to banks' lack of knowledge about the sector (Baruah, 2018). Also, bank warrants for maritime projects, is extremely expensive compared to other competing countries, impacting the cost of project delivery (Baruah, 2018).…”

“…Catalysing economic growth requires that the maritime sector collaborates with financial bodies and non-governmental organisation s to fund the sector to maximise its growth (Baruah, 2018). The seventh action targets encouraging investment from both government and private sectors to strengthen financial sustainability.…”

“…Balancing these perspectives requires providence from the emergence of PPPs. When different funding investments, sources, and potential benefits to investors are appropriately analysed, a solid framework foundation is created which implements innovative solutions that ensure sectoral financial sustainability (Baruah, 2018).…”

Focusing on India’s Look East Policy: India–China relationship from 1947 to 2020

“…In June 2015, a PLAN detachment visited Karachi. In May 2016, a Chinese nuclear submarine came to Karachi demonstrating the power of the PLAN in the Indian Ocean (Baruah, 2018: 166). In February 2016, China started building airstrips, missile batteries, surveillance and reconnaissance networks in Spartly and Woody Islands (Garver, 2018: 87).…”