MP-IDSA Backgrounder S

Ensuring maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean and the wider Indo-Pacific region is a key security imperative and one of the key objectives of India's engagement with the US. [...] The elevation of the status of Quad, designation of US Pacific Command (PACOM) to INDOPACOM, and broadening the scope of the Malabar naval exercise by including Japan and Australia are some of the obvious pointers to India’s indispensability for the success of US’ Indo-Pacific strategy. [...] The original US vision of the region stretched from the west coast of India to the western shores of the US,24 same as the jurisdiction of the US INDOPACOM. [...] Pakistan has held the command of CTF 150 and 151 a record number of 11 and nine times, the maximum among the constituent nations, including the US.30 Although IN is not a member of the CMF, it has been actively involved in combating maritime piracy in the region on its own and in coordination with the navies of other countries. [...] A collaborative effort on the lines of SEACAT and CARAT exercises, involving navies of the IOR littorals, between the US and Indian navies, with the latter in the lead, will not only aid and augment the overall maritime security in the region, but will also cement India’s role as a provider of net security.