The maritime history of the Indian subcontinent, from the recorded history of Harappan era, through Vedic, classical, and medieval periods through colonial period and to the modern times is vast and deeply intertwined with its cultural, economic, and political evolution. From ancient times, the Indian Ocean has served as a critical corridor for trade, cultural exchange, and exploration. Early texts mention astronomical techniques used for navigation and terms like "navadhyaksha" (officer of ships) indicating organized maritime activities. Archaeological finds, such as Roman coins in South India, highlight brisk Indo-Roman trade, especially in spices, textiles, and ivory. Unfortunately, India’s prowess to ride the waves has really waned with time in relative terms.

South Asia's maritime legacy

Known for their naval prowess, the Cholas conducted successful maritime expeditions to Southeast Asia, establishing dominance in the region.They maintained trade and cultural links with the Srivijaya Empire (modern Indonesia) and beyond.By the 7th century, Arab merchants dominated Indian Ocean trade, connecting India to West Asia, East Africa, and China.Calicut (Kozhikode) emerged as a prominent trading hub for spices, especially pepper, attracting Arab and Chinese traders.Admiral Zheng He’s voyages during the Ming dynasty involved visits to Indian ports like Kochi and Calicut.

While the Cheras were primarily focused on trade in the Arabian Sea, the Cholas were expansionist, dominating the Bay of Bengal and beyond. Both kingdoms demonstrated advanced maritime capabilities, contributing to South India's legacy as a significant naval and trade power in the pre-modern world.The Chola navy's achievements are particularly noteworthy for their military expeditions, whereas the Cheras excelled in trade and cultural diplomacy. shaping its identity and influencing the broader Indian Ocean region, Indian shipyards in Gujarat, Bengal, and the Malabar Coast were renowned for producing durable ships like the dhows. Maritime routes facilitated the spread of Indian culture, including Hinduism, Buddhism, art, architecture, and language, to regions as far as Southeast Asia and Africa. India’s spices, especially black pepper, were highly sought after, earning the region the title “Land of Spices.” The Chola naval dominance ensured economic prosperity and political influence, marking the Indian Ocean as a Chola "lake" during their peak The Cheras' naval strength ensured their prominence in the western Indian Ocean, making their ports key centers for global trade and cultural exchanges.

IOR a critical trade conduit

It is thus, not a surprise that the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has emerged as a critical conduit for trade, commerce, and energy. The waters of the IOR have reclaimed its status as the fulcrum of economic developments, disputes, conflicts, and competition for influence by regional and extra regional powers. India’s location at the heart of the Indian Ocean makes it a central player, as it has been in the past, in global trade and geopolitics. India is one of the largest and most powerful naval forces in the world, with a robust fleet and capabilities designed to secure India's maritime interests and maintain stability in the IOR.The Indian Navy's increasing focus on modernization and strategic alliances ensures it remains a formidable force in securing India's maritime interests and maintaining regional stability.

A highly dynamic region

The Indo-Pacific is a strategic and highly dynamic region encompassing the Indian and Pacific Oceans, including East and Southeast Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and parts of the western Americas. Its geopolitical, economic, and security landscape continues to evolve, shaping the global outlook. The Indo-Pacific's future will depend on how well nations manage strategic competition, uphold international law, and ensure inclusive growth while addressing shared challenges. Strait of Malacca, connecting the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean) runs between the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the west and peninsular (West) Malaysia and extreme southern Thailand to the east and has an area of about 25,000 square miles (65,000 square km). The strait is 500 miles (800 km) long and is funnel-shaped, with a width of only 40 miles (65 km) in the south that broadens northward to some 155 miles (250 km) between West island off Sumatra and the Isthmus of Kra on the mainland.

Reshaping maritime influence 

The rise of China across the maritime region has compelled nations (including India) to reshape their maritime strategies The Government of India has, it is reported, decided to build a huge naval facility on the 5 islands of Great Nicobar as a retaliatory measure against China. With respect to the Malacca Strait, India has always held a strategic advantage over China. The Great Nicobar is the largest of the Nicobar Islands in India and it looks out over the entrance to the Malacca Strait. For India’s new maritime policy, this base is essential as part of measures to restrain Chinese aggressiveness in the country’s border regions to the north and east. China has made great efforts to maintain its regional importance so that it can exploit the Strait of Malacca to make incursions into India’s immediate neighbourhood in the Indian Ocean. For the past decade, China has been expanding its naval presence and constructing ports in an effort to establish supremacy in the region. In addition, it has also attempted to militarise uninhabited islands.

China is gaining effective control of the SCS, an area of strategic, political, and economic importance to the United States and its allies and partners1 The geopolitical theory of the “String of Pearls” explains China’s potentials and intentions of establishing commercial and infrastructural projects in India’s backyard. China has invested in several projects from the Horn of Africa to the ASEAN nations and the Pacific Island nations. The revival of the Chinese Maritime Silk Route can be seen through China’s debt trap investments in the port of Hambantota in Sri Lanka,  the development of Pakistan’s Gwadar Port as a part of China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Chinese involvement in the China–Maldives Friendship Bridge and linking Malé to the island of Hulhumale and Hulhule. The Maldives has also leased an uninhabited island, Feydhoo Finolhu, to a Chinese enterprise for 50 years at a price of around 4 million USD, with plans to develop infrastructure for tourism. 

Along the African coastal belt, one-quarter of all Chinese investment is concentrated in Nigeria, including for railways, and Angola. Abuja also hopes that China will support peacekeeping in the Niger Delta region, which would better secure oil investments there.

Heightened big power competition

As part of the greater strategic pitch, the Indo-Pacific is likely to witness heightened competition among major powers, with alliances and partnerships playing a critical role. Economic initiatives are expected to intertwine with strategic goals, as seen in projects like the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).Regional forums like ASEAN, the East Asia Summit (EAS), and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) will remain vital for dialogue and stability.

India is also putting in a lot of efforts to further strengthen its Navy. Next year, India is set to seal the proposed procurement of 26 naval variants of Rafale jets and three additional Scorpene submarines soon, Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said recently. The Navy chief also said that 62 ships and a submarine are currently under construction within the country as part of efforts to boost its naval power. A large number of platforms are waiting for induction in the next one year and at least one ship will be inducted into the Navy, he said.

(The author is an Indian Army veteran and a contemporary affairs commentator. Views expressed are personal. He can be reached at  kl.viswanathan@gmail.com )