India’s strategic stature is undeniable, as it increasingly commands influence across land, sea, and advanced domains like cyberspace. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan recently shed light on India’s escalating strategic significance in the Indo-Pacific, outlining the modern warfare paradigm’s expansion into space, cyber, and cognitive arenas. During his address at the 9th Military Literature Festival 2025, Gen Chauhan detailed India’s geographical advantage, positioning it as both a continental and maritime power. This dual capacity makes India a primary responder and a preferred international partner. He reinforced the principle that geography critically shapes a nation’s strategic choices and power projection capabilities. Gen Chauhan reflected on India’s post-independence trajectory, noting how historical events initially steered its strategic outlook towards continental concerns, while its geography inherently favors a maritime orientation. He traced the historical shift in global power dynamics, from the control of continents and seas to the contemporary importance of space, cyberspace, and the cognitive domain. The strategic importance of nations located at vital maritime junctions, such as Djibouti and Singapore, was underscored for their role in facilitating global trade. Moreover, the critical maritime passages through Indonesia were identified as essential arteries for commerce linking the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Gen Chauhan’s analysis confirms India’s crucial position in the evolving multi-domain strategic environment of the Indo-Pacific.
