China’s Expanding Footprint in the Indian Ocean Region and the Indian Pushback

On the 11th of July 2017, China sent military troops to Africa, who headed to the naval base in Djibouti to help set up the newly constructed facility (Xinhua. (2017). China sets up base in Djibouti. http://www.xinhuanet.com//english/2017-07/11/c_136435716.htm ). The two vessels carrying Chinese troops departed from China’s Zhanjiang port are the Jinggangshan and Donghai Island; the former is an amphibious transport vessel, able to load helicopters, special troops and serve in protective convoys, and the latter is capable of rescue missions and assistance in ship repair. This is the first military base built abroad by China, a move possibly pushing the limits of its own foreign policy, but also signalling Beijing’s resolve to emerge as a major player in the larger Indian Ocean Region (IOR) (Kennedy & Pant, 2015). China’s expanding footprint into the IOR is now widely recognized. This chapter examines Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean and assesses India’s responses to Chinese expansion into the region. Beijing has undertaken a wide variety of measures to strengthen its presence in the IOR. It argues that China’s presence in the IOR will continue to grow in the coming years even though Modi government’s foreign and security policy is aimed at countering such an eventuality.