ABSTRACT
The chapter suggests that events in the southwest Indian Ocean Region (IOR) take place within an external security dilemma with limited direct competition between India and China. The rivalry is most acute in the Maldives, less so in Mauritius and Seychelles. India has been able to largely preserve its traditional security partnerships with the three states despite China’s growing, and at times aggressive, engagement with them. Meanwhile, Beijing prioritizes investment in critical infrastructure across these islands, codified under the Belt and Road Initiative and its Maritime Silk Route component, with a secondary emphasis on defence and maritime security cooperation. The chapter draws on primary and secondary sources such as ministerial documents, leadership statements, scholarly articles, and local media coverage in addition to interviews conducted in India, Mauritius and Seychelles. It provides an overview of the strategic maritime environment and security dilemma between India and China as seen in the southwest IOR.
