Bloomberg posted on 23 June 2025 a 12-minute video titled "How China Is Beating India in Its Own Backyard."
This is a balanced documentary about Indian and Chinese efforts to expand their security and economic influence in the Indian Ocean region. It pays particular attention to the role of the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius and the UK/US military base in Diego Garcia.
The South China Morning Post published on 13 April 2025 an article titled "India's New Submarine Base Targets China's Growing Sea Power" by Junaid Kathju.
India has unveiled a new state-of-the-art submarine base near Rambilli in the state of Andhra Pradesh in the Bay of Bengal. It coincides with the introduction later this year of India's third nuclear-powered submarine. These developments are occurring against the backdrop of escalating competition between New Delhi and Beijing for strategic influence in the Indian Ocean and broader Indo-Pacific region.
War on the Rocks published on 7 May 2024 a commentary titled "It's Still the Indian Ocean: Parsing Sino-Indian Naval Competition Where It Counts" by Prashant Hosur Suhas and Christopher K. Colley.
India's naval strategy is geographically well defined and confined to the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, and Arabian Sea. China is focused on offshore waters and the Pacific. While China's navy is much larger than India's and more modern, it is not designed at the present time for an Indian Ocean contingency.
Sea Control posted on 24 March 2024 a 27-minute podcast titled "Chinese Maritime Interests in the Indian Ocean with Commodore Venugopal Vengalil" hosted by Nathan Miller.
This conversation with retired Indian Commodore Vengalil, a member of the Chennai Centre for China Studies, took place on 5 February. He reviews the history during the 21st century of the PLA Navy's shift from an exclusive near sea focus to a significant interest in the far seas and the need to protect China's interests throughout the Belt and Road Initiative region.
Commodore Vengalil discusses the challenges, especially the long line of communications, for the PLAN in the Indian Ocean to exercise sea control with questionable ability to access ports during hostilities. He analyzes the capability of the Chinese fleet, which is large but with significant handicaps that limit its ability to project power.
His remarks are based on a paper published by the Chennai Centre for China Studies on 2 December 2023 and titled "Assessment of Chinese Maritime Interests in Indian Ocean Region."
The Maritime Executive published on 25 March 2024 an article titled "India Begins Its First Prosecution of Somali Pirates in More Than a Decade."
Indian authorities in Mumbai are now prosecuting 35 Somali pirates captured on the hijacked Bulgarian ship, the Ruen, which is being returned to Bulgaria. The cases against the Somalis are being brought under India's Maritime Anti-Piracy laws.
The Stimson Center's South Asian Voices published on 31 May 2023 an analysis titled "India's Evolving Maritime Strategy" by Allah Nawaz.
India has moved from a policy of "using" Indian Ocean waters to "securing" them. China's rise and increased interference in India's perceived sphere of influence pushed New Delhi to modify its strategy in the Indian Ocean. In response to China's "string of pearls" theory, India is pursuing a "necklace of diamonds" approach.
