Multilateralism in the Indo-Pacific: conceptual and operational challenges

Abstract

to the author, India’s navy should not be seen merely as an instrument of naval power, but used to enhance its maritime power. A crucial component to using India’s navy in building India’s maritime power lies in its use as a diplomatic tool. As Rao suggests, India’s naval missions and initiatives across regions have put forth a moralistic and benign image of India which has added to its soft power in the region. The major plus point of this book is that in addition to providing a detailed insight into the Indian Navy’s diplomatic functions across regions, the book also documents the changing geopolitical landscape of India’s maritime periphery. The book covers a vast canvas of academic literature on the role of navies in general, and that of the Indian Navy, in particular. Naval practitioners, scholars and policy makers alike are likely to greatly benefit from this book.