India Strengthens Naval Presence in Indian Ocean

Russia ranks second after the United States in the Firepower Global Index of the world's largest military powers

Rajnath Singh

Increasing geopolitical tensions and international rivalries in the Indian Ocean are forcing the New Delhi government to revise its military policy by increasing its naval presence in these waters. “Ensuring a strong naval presence in the Indian Ocean is a strategic priority for India,” said Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh (pictured), who joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the launching ceremony of the submarine Ins Vagsheer and two new warships of the Indian Navy, frigate Ins Nilgiri, and destroyer Ins Surat at Mazagon State Shipyard, Mumbai. The launching of the three warships took place on India’s Armed Forces Day, which is celebrated annually on January 15.

Without naming any country specifically, Singh emphasized India’s grave concern about the growing global and regional influence of China, which now has the world’s largest naval force with more than 370 ships.

While New Delhi and Beijing have recently resolved some of the territories disputed by the two countries along the border in the Himalayas (24 Indian soldiers were killed in clashes), the Indian Ocean, through which much of the world’s trade passes, is increasingly threatened by the two powers’ geopolitical rivalry. Singh recalled that “95% of India’s trade by volume is linked to this region,” and for this reason “having a strong Indian navy becomes our top priority.”

According to the Indian press, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government plans to build a navy of 175 ships by 2035, increasingly relying on the use of locally manufactured components.” International analysts note that production rates in Indian shipyards are lower than in China: Beijing builds about 14 warships per year, while India builds four.

Meanwhile, Russia was ranked second in the annual ranking of military power by the Global Firepower Index. The ranking of the calculation of the military power index of 145 countries of the world evaluates more than 60 factors, including the financial position of the state, geographical location, logistical capabilities, and many others. The USA currently leads the ranking, with Russia in second place, followed by China, India, and South Korea (table below). According to the ranking, the top five countries have not changed compared to last year. Italy is in tenth position, with Turkey ahead of it.