In an address at an online conference, Gen Rawat said there has been a "race for strategic places and bases" in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) which is only going to gain momentum in times to come.
Over 120 warships of extra-regional forces are currently deployed in the Indian Ocean Region in support of various missions, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat said on Friday, referring to increasing maritime presence of various countries in the strategic sea lanes.
In an address at the Global Dialogue Security Forum, he underlined the need for India to put greater focus on having strong bilateral, trilateral and multilateral arrangements with like-minded countries to maximise its strategic leverage in the region.
Race for strategic places, bases in Indian Ocean region: CDS dailyexcelsior.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailyexcelsior.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Indian Ocean, considered the backyard of the Indian Navy, is critical for India s strategic interests. China has been making concerted efforts to increase its presence in the region.