ABSTRACT
The Indian Ocean, in which the Soviet Navy has operated continuously since 1968, is a key avenue of commerce vital to the West and an area of geopolitical interest to the USSR. In 1968, the Soviet Navy logged 1,200 ship days in the Indian Ocean for a daily average of three ships. The Indian Ocean Squadron's operations were first focused in the Gulf of Aden. The Soviet naval reaction was not limited to these logistic tasks: Aden was also used as a staging base for the Indian Ocean Squadron as its force level rose to an unprecedented thirty-two ships by the end of March 1978. The Soviets can project significant naval power into the Indian Ocean to accomplish a variety of missions. The Indian Ocean region is ripe for Soviet political activity in support of Third World clients. Although the Soviet Union can project naval power into the Indian Ocean, it faces two major problems: logistics and Western naval power.
