‘We can’t move north due to China’: CDS Chauhan says India must embrace Indian Ocean as its strategic future

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has said the Indian Ocean is not just important but “our destiny,” pointing to India’s limited strategic movement on land due to tensions with China and instability in Myanmar.

“Now, shifting attention to the Indian Ocean Region, especially the northern Bay of Bengal, our geopolitical reality means we cannot move north due to tensions with China, nor can we move east because of the instability in Myanmar,” Chauhan said, according to ANI.

“We're politically connected to Central and West Asia, but geographically cut off. Therefore, the sea is our only viable pathway. That’s why the ocean is not just important, it’s our destiny," he said.

‘We function like an island nation’

General Chauhan said India’s maritime posture is increasingly shaped by its geography and strategic compulsions, likening the country’s position to that of an island nation.

“In a sense, though we are part of the continental landmass, we function like an island nation. Our island territories give us interior depth in the Indian Ocean, which is a strategic advantage that we must exploit wisely,” he said.

He added that while traditional areas of concern in the northern Indian Ocean remain, India must widen its scope.

“Some areas in the Indian Ocean, particularly in the north, have always been of concern, and new ones have emerged recently. But we must not limit our view to just the northern IOR. We are now looking far south, recognising the wider scope of our maritime interests,” he said.

General Chauhan also spoke on the importance of self-reliance in defence, highlighting progress in indigenous platforms and digital infrastructure.

“On our end, we’ve not only used indigenous platforms like the Akash missile system effectively, but we’ve also built our own networking infrastructure for air defence without relying on foreign vendors,” he said.

“We've integrated radars from multiple sources into a cohesive network across India and that was crucial.”

Modernisation through Atmanirbhar Bharat

Referring to the broader drive for defence modernisation, Chauhan said India’s shift towards self-reliance is now well underway.

“On defence modernisation, we’re moving toward self-reliance. While initially difficult, the process has started through programs like Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he said.

“We can’t rely 100% on foreign elements, especially for networked warfare. We’re now seeing the rise of startups, MSMEs and larger industries investing in defence.”

(With inputs from ANI)