India's policy on Diego Garcia and its quest for security in the Indian Ocean

The ongoing contention between Mauritius and the UK over the sovereignty of the Diego Garcia presents a difficult challenge for Indian foreign policy-makers. New Delhi's principled opposition to colonialism and its historical relationship with Port Louis has made it steadfastly support the Maur...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Australian journal of international affairs 2021-01, Vol.75 (1), p.36-59
Main Authors: Baruah, Darshana M., Joshi, Yogesh
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Balance of power
British Indian Ocean Territory
China
Cold War
Colonialism
Decision making
Diego Garcia
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Dispute resolution (Law)
FOREIGN POLICY
Indian Ocean
Indo-US relations
International relations
Navy
Policy making
Security
SOVEREIGNTY
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The ongoing contention between Mauritius and the UK over the sovereignty of the Diego Garcia presents a difficult challenge for Indian foreign policy-makers. New Delhi's principled opposition to colonialism and its historical relationship with Port Louis has made it steadfastly support the Mauritian claim. However, such principled foreign policy militates against India's quest to balance the growing Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean. Insofar, Diego Garcia allows the US Navy to maintain an active presence in the Indian Ocean, thereby keeping the Chinese naval power at bay. Balance of power considerations notwithstanding, the expanding trajectory of the Indo-US strategic partnership also demands New Delhi to weigh the burden of its policies on Diego Garcia carefully. This article juxtaposes India's historical record on Diego Garcia during the Cold War with its contemporary approach to the issue. In doing so, it sheds further light on India's strategic decision-making in the Indian Ocean, its dilemmas in confronting a genuinely hostile maritime power in the region, and deliberates on potential options for dispute resolution which can not only satisfy Mauritian demands but also ensure a healthy balance of power in the Indian Ocean.
ISSN:1035-7718
1465-332X
DOI:10.1080/10357718.2020.1769550