India, China in Race for the Bottom in Indian Ocean

While much has been written about China's port development projects in the Indian Ocean region, it is actually Beijing's undersea activities in the area that may prove to be the greater source of consternation for India and its navy. In July, the China Ocean Mineral Resources Research and Development Association announced that it had secured approval from the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to explore the southwestern Indian Ocean ridge for polymetallic sulphide nodules.

The move was not received well in Indian policymaking circles, which believe that it not only reflects Beijing's intentions to extract resources from the Indian Ocean region but may actually pave the way for a naval presence in the medium term. Given India's recent moves in the South China Sea, it is now increasingly apparent that a slow but steady back and forth of strategic counterposturing is underway in the Indo-Pacific. ...