Tag: Indian Ocean

Biden administration views India as important partner in countering China: Experts
Asia, China, World

Biden administration views India as important partner in countering China: Experts

With China’s growing aggressiveness in the Indian Ocean region, the Joe Biden administration in the US sees India as its most important partner to counter Beijing’s ambitions, according to experts.Recently, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on his first foreign trip in the role as the two sides concluded talks on defense cooperation. Austin also visited Japan and South Korea last week.Austin called India an “increasingly important partner among today’s rapidly shifting international dynamic”, saying the bilateral relationship is a “stronghold of a free and open Indo-Pacific region”.“It’s important that the secretary of defence has made a trip to India on his first trip to Asia, along with Japan and South Korea,” said Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive
US stealth bombers in Diego Garcia, warships in South China Sea, boost morale from Ladakh to Taiwan
Politics, World

US stealth bombers in Diego Garcia, warships in South China Sea, boost morale from Ladakh to Taiwan

With the deployment of three B-2 stealth bombers, capable of carrying nuclear weapons in the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, the United States has given a clear message to China to deter from starting a war in the India-Pacific.In Ladakh on the Indo-China border and in Taiwan, military tensions are showing no signs of abating.The three radar-evading bombers, widely recognised as the most advanced in the world, arrived at Diego Garcia on August 12.By deploying at the Indian Ocean island, which falls under the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), China was being sent an unambiguous signal - that Washington was committed to safeguard the sea lanes of the Indian Ocean, South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, under well-defined rules.Because of their ultra-long-range endurance, and freedom ...
Andaman & Nicobar Islands can be centre point of connecting strategic line of maritime hubs to tackle China
Opinion

Andaman & Nicobar Islands can be centre point of connecting strategic line of maritime hubs to tackle China

While the world is grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, China is not leaving any opportunity to take over territories and off late, its aggressiveness can be seen at the East China Sea, South China Sea and the Indian Ocean.One way to tackle Chinese maritime aggression could be by fully equipping ports and islands in a way to make them strategic outposts which would help monitor the naval activities combining it with an integrated surveillance network which would give all the countries tactical leverage in the various regional seas.Chinese aggression in the international waters was witnessed this year in several instances. In April, a Vietnamese fishing vessel in the South China Sea was sunk by a Chinese ship, a stand-off between a Chinese survey ship and Malaysian oil exploration ship ...
China’s new high-security compound in Pakistan may indicate naval plans
China

China’s new high-security compound in Pakistan may indicate naval plans

With recent satellite images of several new complexes at the western end of Pakistan’s coast, analysts are now more confident than ever of the long-expected Chinese naval base at Gwadar in Pakistan.One of the several complexes has been identified as a Chinese company involved in port development and has unusually high security. The base, to complement the one at Djibouti, would strengthen China’s foothold in the Indian Ocean.Located at the western end of Pakistan’s coast, Gwadar is expected to be a major port in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. This will allow Chinese goods to shortcut through Pakistan, instead of sailing all the way around South Asia.China was first reported to be planning a naval base there in January 2018. While the plan has never been confirmed officially, it would be