India's Defence Strategy and the India-ASEAN Relationship

Abstract

India's defence strategy towards Southeast Asia can be understood in terms of two broad sets of strategic objectives which drive India's relationships in the region. The first is a perceived imperative to be the predominant power in the northeast Indian Ocean. The second is India's objective to assume a greater strategic role in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. India's aspirations to increase its defence presence in the region are broadly consistent with the perspectives of many Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) states, which mostly see India as a positive factor in the Southeast Asian balance of power. But India is yet to demonstrate itself as a useful and consistent security partner for the region.