THE MARITIME MANDALA: INDIA'S STRATEGY FOR POWER, PARTNERSHIP, AND SECURITY IN THE INDO-PACIFIC

Abstract

This study examines India's evolving maritime strategy in the Indo-Pacific through the conceptual lens of a "maritime mandala," characterized by concentric layers of security partnerships, naval outreach, and strategic alignments shaped by regional power transitions. The research examines how India's maritime policies, grounded in the Look East/Act East frameworks and driven by China's expanding footprint, have influenced its engagement with both intermediate and extended neighbourhoods. Drawing on contemporary scholarship, official maritime doctrines, and secondary data, the study analyses India's security cooperation with Southeast Asia, East Asia, Australia, and the United States. It evaluates how these partnerships enhance India's strategic influence and secure critical sea lanes. The findings reveal that India's naval modernization, multilateral exercises, enhanced collaborative capacity building, and deepening defense diplomacy have collectively strengthened its position in the Indo-Pacific, although structural constraints and great-power conflict continue to limit its strategic autonomy. The paper concludes that India's maritime mandala offers a viable long-term approach for balancing China, expanding India's regional footprint, and contributing to an inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific order.