Power shifts in the Indian Ocean: Analysis by Indranil Banerjie, focusing on the Delhi region
In the western Indian Ocean, the strategic significance of India developing Agalega Island (off Mauritius) as a naval base cannot be overstated. This move aims to enhance India’s forward maritime presence and surveillance capabilities, securing critical sea lanes such as the Mozambique Channel [1][3][5].
The Agalega naval base strengthens India’s anti-submarine warfare and maritime monitoring abilities, allowing quicker, sustained presence and operations from a location near major Indian Ocean chokepoints. While major powers like the US and France already have bases (e.g., Diego Garcia), Agalega marks India’s first overseas military base, signifying its ambition to be a leading maritime power maintaining security and stability in the region [1][2][4].
This naval development directly affects the balance of power in the western Indian Ocean by providing India a strategic outpost to counter China’s increasing dual-use port expansions in Africa and the Indian Ocean. China’s ports across the Red Sea, Horn of Africa, and Mozambique Channel enable it to project power and secure maritime trade routes, challenging India’s regional dominance [3][5]. In contrast, India’s strategy under its SAGAR doctrine favors a mix of upgrading bases like Agalega and obtaining access agreements elsewhere, allowing flexible deployment without permanent large-scale bases.
The Agalega base is located approximately 1,100 km from Port Louis and is being developed under a strategic agreement with Mauritius. The island, which is 12 km long and 1.5 km wide, now boasts a large new jetty that can berth naval craft, oilers, and other supply vessels. India has built a major airstrip, large hangars, and other facilities on Agalega that can accommodate the largest aircraft in its inventory, including maritime surveillance aircraft like the P-81, heavy lift transporters, and fighters [2].
The military base on Agalega is the result of an agreement signed in 2015 between India and Mauritius, reflecting the convergence in the two countries' strategic aims. India played an important role behind the scenes in the final British deal on the return of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius [6].
India's nascent Agalega naval base reflects a shift in relative naval power, both globally and in the Asian context. The People's Republic of China has approximately two dozen naval ships and submarines dedicated to operations in the Indian Ocean, with plans to significantly increase this number in the near future [7]. China's planned deployment of nuclear-powered SSBNs (nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines) in the Indian Ocean poses a significant threat to India's strategic dynamics [4].
In response to this geopolitical competition, India has upgraded strategic ties with Mauritius and restored frayed ones with the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and the Seychelles. This move is aimed at countering China's influence in the region [5]. The southwest Indian Ocean is considered an important area for India to have military support and launching pads for operations, according to Australian military expert Samuel Bashfield [8].
Agalega remains under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of Mauritius, unlike Western military bases like Diego Garcia. India supports the continuation of Diego Garcia as a joint US-UK naval base despite its historical dispute with Britain over the Chagos Islands [9].
In conclusion, the Agalega naval base serves multiple purposes for India. It allows India to maintain security of key maritime routes critical for trade and energy supplies, counterbalance Chinese naval influence and intelligence gathering in the western Indian Ocean, project power and provide rapid response to regional crises, anti-piracy missions, and humanitarian operations, and bolster India’s standing as a regional maritime power amid great power competition in the Indian Ocean [1][3][5].
- If one is passionate about education and self-development, they may find time to read about the strategic importance of India's Agalega naval base, an initiative aimed at securing critical sea lanes, especially in the context of the increasing dual-use port expansions of other nations like China.
- On weekends, one could also engage in activities such as sports or casino-and-gambling; however, keeping a watchful eye on the weather is beneficial, as the weather conditions in the southwest Indian Ocean can have significant implications for the naval operations and strategic moves, like the establishment of the Agalega naval base.
