The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative published on 20 April 2018 an analysis titled "Islands as Game Changers in the Indian Ocean" by Darshana M. Baruah, research analyst at Carnegie India.
The author concludes that although India has traditional ties with most of the island states in the Indian Ocean region, it has failed to leverage its strategic advantages. India's military strengths lie in the northern and eastern Indian Ocean; it has operational limitations in the western Indian Ocean where it is trying to improve its position in Seychelles and Mauritius.