The Indian Navy is more than just a maritime military force, it’s basically the shield of India across the seas. It protects not just borders, but trade, peace, diplomacy, and national dignity. And its role becomes even more crucial when we look at the broader Indo-Pacific region, where maritime influence shapes the global power.
One historic example of the Indian Navy’s strength was during the 1971 war, where INS Vikrant played a decisive role. We even see this reflected in the movie Raazi, where a young Indian spy in Pakistan passed on critical intelligence. That information helped Indian forces prepare early, and INS Vikrant was deployed in time to stop an attack that could have deeply damaged India. This is a reminder that the Navy is not just about warships but it’s more about timing, strategy, and national defense.
Today, the Indian Navy continues to be the first responder in times of maritime crises; whether it’s piracy, smuggling, natural disasters like cyclones, or rising tensions in international waters. It plays a key role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, especially for smaller island countries like Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius, who often look to India for help. Just like the Army reaches hilly areas during landslides, the Navy steps up when coastal areas are hit by storms or floods.
Technologically, the Indian Navy has transformed into a modern force. It now operates aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, and guided missile destroyers. These allow India to project power across the seas, especially in the Indo-Pacific region, where rising Chinese military activities have made the area highly sensitive. China’s actions from the very beginning have always been unpredictable, especially in places like the South China Sea, so the Indian Navy’s presence helps maintain balance and caution.
India is also building strategic naval partnerships and bases in countries like Oman, Mauritius, and Vietnam. These are not just military moves, they are part of India’s wider SAGAR policy, which stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region. It’s India’s way of saying: “we are here not just for our own protection, but to support peace, growth, and safety across our neighborhood.”
On the diplomatic side, the Indian Navy is building strong relationships with countries in Southeast Asia. For instance, in May 2024, India’s Eastern Fleet visited countries like Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, and Brunei. These visits often help to build long-term friendships and trust. As the Navy itself says, diplomacy at sea is about building bridges of friendship because no country can face today’s global challenges alone. Strength lies in unity, and India believes in leading by example.
At the same time, the Navy plays a big role in surveillance and intelligence gathering. With increasing terrorism, sea-based threats, and smuggling, India uses tools like satellites, coastal radar chains, and maritime patrol aircraft to watch over its waters. And through all of this, the Navy remains rooted in its main purpose: ‘to protect, to serve, and to ensure India’s long-term national interest.’
Now as we dive deep into the bigger picture; the Indo-Pacific strategy. A lot of people think it’s a treaty, but actually it’s not. It’s basically a shared vision or plan between several countries like India, USA, Japan, Australia, France, and others, who all believe that this region should be free, open, and peaceful. The goal is very simple: “no country should dominate, and everyone should be able to trade, move, and grow peacefully.”
Geographically, the Indo-Pacific is a massive region that stretches from the east coast of Africa to the western Pacific Ocean. It includes the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, South China Sea, and more. It’s home to some of the major portions of the world’s population and is rich in oil, gas, fish, minerals, and other resources. Also, most of the world’s trade passes through these waters. So, whoever controls this region, controls global influence, to be precise.
But tensions are rising, especially with China’s growing military presence in the South China Sea. This is why countries came together under this strategy to ensure freedom of navigation, respect for sovereignty, and rules based cooperation among all.
Now what about India’s role in this? India is at the center of this strategy. Geographically, it’s the heart of the Indian Ocean. Politically and militarily, it’s a stable and responsible regional power. Through the Indian Navy and its diplomatic outreach, India supports smaller nations, helps in crisis, and promotes equal partnerships. Its the SAGAR policy which perfectly fits the idea of the Indo-Pacific; “not to dominate, but to protect, support, and grow together.”
So, whether it is piracy, balancing powers like China, or simply making sure the sea is open and peaceful for everyone, we have India’s Navy doing it all confidently.
In conclusion, we can certainly state that India’s Indo-Pacific strategy is not just about defense or diplomacy, rather it’s about creating a region of peace, freedom, and shared growth. And at the center of it all is the Indian Navy, quietly but powerfully steering India’s influence across the seas.
Article by Sruti Bhaumik