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Strategic Stewardship: India's Role in Balancing Maritime Power in the Indo-Pacific Region

Strategic Stewardship: India's Role in Balancing Maritime Power in the Indo-Pacific Region
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Author(s): Shruti Rathore (Christ University, India)and Judith Anne Lal (Christ University, India)
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 26
Source title: Emerging Maritime Security Strategies of Global Powers
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Kiet Hoang Le (University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam)and Hiep Xuan Tran (University of Science and Education, The University of Da Nang, Vietnam)
DOI: 10.4018/979-8-3373-4470-6.ch003

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Abstract

This chapter examines India's Indo-Pacific maritime vision through soft balancing theory, analyzing how New Delhi navigates China's regional assertiveness while managing internal capability constraints. India's approach integrates normative leadership through UNCLOS advocacy and the evolution from SAGAR to MAHASAGAR doctrine with strategic partnerships via the QUAD, bilateral engagements with Japan and Australia, and ASEAN-centric diplomacy. These frameworks collectively demonstrate India's commitment to a rules-based, free, and open Indo-Pacific order. However, critical gaps exist between ambition and capability: India's naval modernization faces delays, budgetary constraints limit fleet expansion, and defense-industrial weaknesses persist. The study reveals that while India successfully positions itself as a responsible regional actor and norm-setter, realizing its Indo-Pacific vision requires bridging this capability gap through increased naval investment, indigenous defense production, and sustained strategic partnerships.

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