ABSTRACT
The Indian Ocean has emerged as a critical conduit for trade, commerce, and energy, making it critical in terms of military and strategic engagement. Strategic competition between the United States and China is intensifying in the Indian Ocean region. The new strategic competition between the two will be waged on the quest for greater power projection and strategic access, maritime, cyberspace, information, space, and economic development. Their respective policy and legislations, presence and influence in this region, and relationships with the regional states will be unfolded in this chapter prior to a discussion on the divergence and convergence of interests between China and the United States in the Indian Ocean.
