ABSTRACT
While official policies and doctrines of a state are usually conveyed in a language that seeks to give an impression of vulnerabilities and challenges faced by that state and the measures adopted by that state in its defence, narratives are often non-official, presented by think tanks or individuals, who may or may not be working in tandem with the official line. Perception of motives and interpretation of policies lead to formation of security narratives often highlighted with a catchy phrase inspiring the popular imagination.
These narratives influence the policies of the states in turn. The “Rising China” story created ripples in international politics and a sub-story of “Emerging India” evolved until it became an independent narrative in itself. As China sought to expand its economic spheres of influence and flexed its military muscles, the Rising China story was sure to clash with Emerging India story that was not only reflected in disputes over land boundaries but moved into the Indian Ocean region.
The expanse of China's maritime silk route and its strategic implications, its search for overseas military bases, movements of submarines, modernisation of its navy with warships capable of operating in the Indian Ocean, coupled with the vision of the leadership, Xi Jinping's “China Dream,” interpreted inter alia as “a stronger nation with a strong military” aspiring to be a dominant power in the world and its assertive “wolf warrior” diplomacy have contributed to the construction of security narratives for the Indian Ocean.
While the past looms large in creating narratives, contemporary trends began in the first decade of the present century. The first such popular security narrative that emerged was that of the “String of Pearls” strategy of China seeking an encirclement of India. This provoked a response in the form of the “Necklace of Diamonds” narrative that foresaw an encirclement of China. Before these narratives lost steam, the macro-geopolitical zone of Indo-Pacific was construed as an emerging theatre of contest and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue began. As the Quad came into existence, the “Asian NATO” narrative was put forward by China and Indian naval build-up near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands provoked a narrative of the “Iron Curtain.” These narratives need to be considered in view of wider storylines of the changing global order that presuppose a narrative of contest between the league of democracies with an axis of authoritarian states and also attempt to divide the world into two major blocs. Such sweeping generalisations are further complicated by narrower but unique narratives of “Chindia Syndrome” or “Frenemy Syndrome,” indicating fluctuations in relations between India and China.
In the post-Cold War oligo-polar world, where uncertainties dominate state behavior and flexibility and hedging take the centre stage, security narratives serve as powerful guidelines towards understanding the contemporary trends in world politics and the security scenario in the Indian Ocean region. Policies are cocooned within narratives.
