India and the Future Global Balance of Power
INTRODUCTION Geopolitics looks at geography and history as inputs into the relations among nations. A corollary is that countries have “natural” opponents and allies. But how this works out depends on the domestic and foreign policies of the leaders and governments of the countries. The theme of this essay is the current and possible future the role of India in the evolving global balance of power. One topic is India’s strategic objectives in the Indian Ocean and stronger ties with other Asian countries. Another is the points of rivalry between India and China. They intersect. INDIA AND THE INDIAN OCEAN: FUTURE STRATEGIC RIVALRY WITH CHINA? India might become a major regional and possibly global power. India’s strategic interests center on the Indian Ocean. India is developing a “blue-water” navy for the vast Indian Ocean, which stretches 6.000 miles from East Africa to Indonesia. It competes with China’s strategy to have a naval pr...