{"id":64056,"date":"2026-01-12T18:30:50","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T13:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=64056"},"modified":"2026-01-14T12:07:27","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T06:37:27","slug":"india-maritime-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/12-01-2026\/india-maritime-policy","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s Maritime Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/IR; GS3\/Economy&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>India\u2019s maritime policy<\/strong> has undergone significant evolution, intricately linked to its historical and geographical context, as explored in \u2018The Routledge Handbook of Maritime India\u2019.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The handbook delves into<strong> India\u2019s rich maritime history and strategic relationships across the Indian Ocean.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>It comprises five essays by different scholars,<\/strong> traces the historical evolution of India\u2019s outward reach, focusing on the <strong>Cholas, the Marathas, Europeans and Indo-Arab maritime trade.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Maritime History of India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Early Days:<\/strong> The beginning of India&#8217;s maritime history dates back to <strong>3000 BC. <\/strong>During this time, the inhabitants of the<strong> Indus Valley Civilisation <\/strong>had maritime trade links with <strong>Mesopotamia.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Southern Dynasties:<\/strong> <strong>The Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas<\/strong> were powerful peninsular Indian dynasties with strong maritime trade links to <strong>Sumatra, Java, the Malay Peninsula, and China.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Arabs: <\/strong>By the 8th Century AD, Arabs began to come to India by sea in great numbers as traders. Over the time, many parts of modern-day West Asia became nodal points for business between <strong>Europe, Southeast Asia and India.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Arrival of Europeans:<\/strong> Arrival of the Portuguese explorer<strong> Vasco da Gama<\/strong> at Calicut in <strong>1498<\/strong>, opened a new and direct sea route from Europe to India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Maritime Prowess of the Marathas: <\/strong>The Marathas gave the strongest resistance to British control along the Indian coasts.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was the<strong> first to recognize the need for a powerful navy,<\/strong> building coastal forts like Vijaydurg and Sindhudurg and strengthening defences against the Siddis and Portuguese.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Under his leadership, the Maratha navy grew to over 500 ships, holding off both the Portuguese and British for over 40 years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Post Independence:<\/strong> On 22 April 1958, Vice Admiral R.D. Katari became the <strong>first Indian Chief of Naval Staff.&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Following India&#8217;s Republic status on 26 January 1950, the Navy dropped the<strong> &#8220;Royal&#8221; prefix and was renamed the Indian Navy.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India\u2019s Maritime Zone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India&#8217;s maritime zone refers to the <strong>maritime boundaries and areas under its jurisdiction <\/strong>in the surrounding seas and oceans.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s<strong> coastline stretches over 11,000 kilometers<\/strong> including island territories.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Indian Ocean Region: <\/strong>The Indian Ocean covers approximately<strong> one-fifth of the total ocean area of the world.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Indian Ocean is bounded by Iran, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh to the <strong>north<\/strong>; the Malay Peninsula, the Sunda Islands of Indonesia, and Australia to the <strong>east<\/strong>; the Southern Ocean to the <strong>south<\/strong>; and Africa and the Arabian Peninsula to the <strong>west<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"afcfd2\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"461\" height=\"373\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-50.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-64057\" style=\"--dominant-color: #afcfd2; width:256px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-50.png 461w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-50-300x243.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 461px) 100vw, 461px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Maritime Security: <\/strong>It involves <strong>protecting the nation&#8217;s sovereignty<\/strong> from threats arising from the oceans and seas.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Threats include protecting coastal areas, safeguarding the available ocean resources such as fish, offshore oil and gas wells, port facilities, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Significance of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Geostrategic Importance:<\/strong> The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean, linking the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is home to <strong>crucial maritime chokepoints <\/strong>\u2014 Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, Malacca Strait, Lombok Strait \u2014 which together handle a bulk of global energy and trade flows.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The IOR acts as a <strong>bridge between the East and the West,<\/strong> making it a central theatre for power competition among India, China, the U.S., and other major players.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Economic Significance: <\/strong>The region carries nearly 50% of global container traffic and 80% of seaborne oil trade.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is a hub of blue economy activities: shipping, fisheries, seabed mining, and tourism.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Energy Security: <\/strong>The IOR is the lifeline of global energy flows: oil and gas from West Asia transit to East Asia via its sea lanes.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Countries like India, China, Japan, and South Korea are energy-import dependent, making stability of the IOR vital.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Blue Economy Potential: <\/strong>The IOR offers opportunities in fisheries, seabed minerals, renewable energy, and tourism\u2014requiring secure seas for sustainable exploitation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Need to Strengthen Maritime Security in IOR<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Indo-Pacific Construct:<\/strong> The Indo-Pacific combines the Indian and Pacific Oceans into one strategic theatre and highlights the centrality of IOR in shaping new global maritime order.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This geographical reimagination enhances IOR\u2019s visibility in global diplomacy and security.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Implications for Global Order: <\/strong>Control over the IOR can shape:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Trade flows (especially oil &amp; gas),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strategic maritime chokepoints (like the Strait of Hormuz, Malacca, Bab el-Mandeb),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Military posturing and base logistics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Geopolitical contestation: <\/strong>Major-power activity (notably China\u2019s expanding presence and infrastructure investments) alters the strategic balance.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fragmented maritime governance:<\/strong> Many littoral states lack capacity for surveillance, law enforcement, and HADR (humanitarian &amp; disaster response).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Diverse asymmetric threats: <\/strong>Illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing, trafficking, piracy resurgence and attacks on commercial shipping complicate security.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges in IOR<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Expansion of Chinese Naval Power in IOR: <\/strong>Increased naval vessel deployments in the region in terms of both number and duration.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Deployment of Chinese research and survey vessels to gather sensitive oceanographic and marine data under the guise of scientific research.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Piracy hotspots<\/strong> near the Horn of Africa and in the Malacca Strait threaten shipping.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Terrorism, arms smuggling, and trafficking networks<\/strong> exploit porous maritime borders.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strategic Port Development Near India: <\/strong>China is actively involved in developing ports and infrastructure in littoral states of the IOR, including those close to India\u2019s maritime boundaries.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The objective aligns with China\u2019s long-term goal of becoming a maritime power.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Government Initiatives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sagarmala Programme: <\/strong>Focuses on leveraging India\u2019s coastline and of navigable waterways.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Supports port infrastructure, coastal development, and connectivity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Financial aid for projects like coastal berths, rail\/road connectivity, fish harbours, cruise terminals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Maritime India Vision 2030 (MIV 2030): <\/strong>Aiming for India to become a top 10 shipbuilding nation by 2030 and create a world-class, efficient, and sustainable maritime ecosystem.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sagarmanthan Dialogue: <\/strong>An annual maritime strategic dialogue to position India as a global center for maritime conversations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Maritime Development Fund: <\/strong>\u20b925,000 crore fund for long-term financing to modernize ports and shipping infrastructure, encouraging private investment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Launch of MAHASAGAR <\/strong>(Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth for All in the Region) reflects India\u2019s strategic rebranding in the IOR.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Naval Modernisation and Indigenous Development: <\/strong>India is modernising naval capabilities:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Commissioning indigenous warships (e.g., INS Vikrant, INS Visakhapatnam).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Boosting maritime domain awareness and power projection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This strengthens India\u2019s force posture and maritime deterrence in the IOR.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India\u2019s Response and Regional Diplomacy:&nbsp; <\/strong>India is working with regional partners to raise awareness about the long-term implications of Chinese infrastructure projects.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Emphasize the risks to internal and regional security from China&#8217;s military use of these assets.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India on Militarisation of the IOR: <\/strong>India asserts that Militarisation of the Indian Ocean Region is not desirable and will adversely impact security in the Indian Ocean and the wider Indo-Pacific.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This reflects India\u2019s stance against military usage of Chinese-funded infrastructure in the IOR.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s maritime security initiatives reflect a blend of military capability, infrastructure readiness, regional partnerships, and legal-institutional frameworks.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Initiatives such as Act East Policy, Indo-Pacific Vision, and Blue Economy strategy reinforce India\u2019s centrality in the IOR.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/education\/indias-maritime-policy-how-it-has-evolved-and-what-lies-ahead\/article70497701.ece#:~:text=As%20per%20the%20handbook%2C%20India,into%20a%20net%20security%20provider.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> India\u2019s maritime policy has undergone significant evolution, intricately linked to its historical and geographical context, as explored in \u2018The Routledge Handbook of Maritime India\u2019.\u00a0 <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> About <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The handbook delves into India\u2019s rich maritime history and strategic relationships across the Indian Ocean. <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> It comprises five essays by different scholars, traces the historical evolution of India\u2019s outward reach, focusing on the Cholas, the Marathas, Europeans and Indo-Arab maritime trade.\u00a0 <\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/12-01-2026\/india-maritime-policy\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64056"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64056\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64166,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64056\/revisions\/64166"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}