Investigating the factors that create geopolitical competition in the Indian Ocean region between China and India

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

mohsen azizzadeh ¹

morteza goudarzi ²

¹ Secretary of the Department at the National Defense University

² Secretary of the Geopolitics Department of the National Defense University

https://doi.org/10.22067/pg.2025.91455.1330

Abstract

One of the most important features of the current international system is the emergence of competition, conflict and confrontation between great powers, especially in sensitive and important regions of the world in terms of geopolitical, geoeconomic and geostrategic terms. One of these important regions is the Indian Ocean region, which has become a place of confrontation between the strategies of the world's great powers. Meanwhile, the two countries of China and India have also entered this competition in order to enhance their strategic position and presence in the arena of competition between world powers in this region and in order to maintain influence, superiority and play an effective role in the world, especially in the Indian Ocean region. While China has increased its influence in this region by opening up communications within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, providing loans and creating infrastructure, India has maintained its traditional sphere of influence with its "neighborhood first" policy. Therefore, in this article, in response to the main question of "What are the factors that create strategic competition in the Indian Ocean region between the two countries China and India?", this research, using a descriptive-analytical method within the conceptual framework of the theory of geopolitical competition, has simultaneously compared the influence of the two countries India and China in different dimensions and contexts in the Indian Ocean region. The findings of the article show that indicators related to economic and trade issues have a higher degree of importance and rank in the emergence of geopolitical competition between the two countries in the Indian Ocean region compared to other indicators.

Keywords

International relations

geopolitical competition

Indian Ocean

China

India

Subjects

• Political Geography

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