STUDY PAPER - India’s Island Diplomacy - The cases of the Maldives, Madagascar, and

5 | June 2023 India’s Island Diplomacy The cases of the Maldives, Madagascar, and Mauritius India's Island Diplomacy: The Cases of the Maldives, Madagascar, and Mauritius 2 India's Island Diplomacy: The Cases of the Maldives, Madagascar, and Mauritius Introduction India has a series of multifaceted strategic interests in the Indian Ocean region (IOR) based on its geographical location, its histori. [...] China’s emerging role in the Indian Ocean The perhaps most transformative development in the regional security architecture in the Indian Ocean in the 21st century is the growing naval presence and economic importance of China. [...] Critics of the relationship have lamented India’s military presence in and around the Maldives, the lack of transparency in bilateral agreements, and decisions regarding the extent of Indian influence over Maldivian security forces, including the police and the coastguard (Didi, 2022). [...] Within India’s defense bureaucracy, the 2019 establishment of the Indian Ocean Region Division within the Ministry of External India's Island Diplomacy: The Cases of the Maldives, Madagascar, and Mauritius 10 Affairs has aimed to formalize and improve India’s diplomatic presence throughout the wider region, including island nations and territories in the southern Indian Ocean in the diplomatic fra. [...] Key factors include the presence/absence of Indian military intervention in the past (and the associated perceptions of Indian presence), the domestic politicization of relations with India, the degree to which China is welcomed as a balance to Indian influence, and the role of the Indian diaspora.