India’s Joint Naval Exercises: Developmental Trends and Strategic Impact

　　ABSTRACT: In recent years, the Indian navy has conducted joint naval exercises of varying size and scope with increasing frequency with a number of states. These exercises have the following characteristics: they involve many partners; feature high intensity of activities; have a high level of institutionalization; are both bilateral and multilateral in nature; and have both political and strategic significance. These exercises serve to enhance India’s comprehensive sea power, are beneficial to India’s partners in terms of enhancing their capabilities in the Indian Ocean, and help to respond to non-traditional security challenges in the Indian Ocean. They also have profound implications for China. Objectively speaking, such exercises could be construed as a balance against China, but fall short of amounting to an alliance against China; at the same time, the exercises do help in alleviating non-traditional security threats in the Indian Ocean, which China sees in positive light. China should closely monitor the above mentioned naval exercises, and should work towards an open regionalism in South Asia, and in the Indian Ocean in particular. It might also borrow from India’s experience and conduct joint naval exercises of its own.