The Economic Times/ by By Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury

China is seeking to dominateIndian Ocean Region after establishing ports at Gwadar and Hambantota and willsoon have access to the Indian Ocean from ports in Myanmar.

China has successfully conducted a cargo run from Myanmar’s Yangon Port all theway to China’s Yunnan Province. The Chinese dream got boost by theChina-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), a portion of the Belt and RoadInitiative that runs from Yunnan Province to the Indian Ocean port of Kyaukphyuin western Myanmar.

CMEC is the umbrella for a host ofinfrastructure projects designed to link China’s Yunnan province to Myanmar’swestern coast and continues to be a top priority for both sides.

CMEC will enable China’s navy, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), tomonitor India in the Bay of Bengal. It will also allow China’s oil shipments toavoid the Strait of Malacca. The USA and India have a shared interest inpreventing the PLAN from gaining access to the Indian Ocean.

By 2030, the PLAN will have 67 newmajor surface ships and 12 new nuclear-powered submarines, enough to controlthe Indian Ocean, according to US Naval Intelligence. China is growing its navyso that it can control seas by 2030 and displace the US Navy as the world’smost powerful navy by 2049.

There are reports that as many as125 foreign vessels can be present at any given time in the Indian Ocean, themost since World War II. Speaking during his first press conference in December2021, India’s Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar said that the Indiannavy might be tracking up to three PLAN ships at any given moment.

Preventing China from gaining control of the Indian Ocean may necessitate a newIndian Ocean policy by key players.