The Chinese Maritime Strategy Towards the Indian Ocean: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Maritime power is a crucial element for emerging nations. It allows countries to assert their influence over global supply chains and fulfil their goals of maintaining the flow of goods and services to and from their borders. In this context, China has recognised that it cannot attain its aspirations for global hegemony without a strong naval force, which serves as the key tool in redefining its role in the international system. The Indian Ocean, in particular, represents a vital gateway for China to achieve these objectives. The importance of research is that it rooted China's maritime strategy towards the Indian Ocean and clarified the relationship between the growth of Chinese naval power, economic effectiveness, and the exercise of international influence. The problem lies in the multiplicity of visions regarding the extent of China's awareness of the importance of naval power in achieving its global ambitions. Some narratives emphasise its primary importance, while others focus on its complementary importance. The main question, therefore, is: to what extent does China's rise and influence in the Indian Ocean depend on its growing naval power? The hypothesis suggests that China's maritime strategy is strengthening its rise as a global power. The country's naval presence in the Indian Ocean is crucial for realising its ambitions by 2049. China's international initiatives, especially the Belt and Road Initiative, cannot succeed without strengthening its naval power and presence to safeguard its economic interests across Asia, Europe, and Africa. It is also the main gateway for reshaping China's relations with the countries in the Chain of Pearls, and its decline based on challenges and opportunities will determine whether China can reach the top of the international hierarchy.