India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, on Sunday described India as both a continental and maritime power, asserting that its geographic position gives it a dominant role in the Indian Ocean region. Speaking at the 9th Military Literature Festival 2025 in Chandigarh, he said this status brings not just prestige but also the responsibility of being the first responder and the preferred partner for countries across the region.
General Chauhan explained that the global competition for power, which once revolved around control of land and air, has now expanded into new arenas such as outer space, cyberspace, and the cognitive domain. “Over a century, the struggle for global power has been in essence a struggle for control of geography,” he said, adding that geography continues to define how nations project influence and craft strategic options, regardless of their size.
Drawing on British author Tim Marshall’s Prisoners of Geography, the CDS highlighted that geography shapes a nation’s destiny more than any other factor. He noted that India’s partition, its conflicts with Pakistan, and its war with China had historically forced the country to adopt a continental mindset. However, he argued that India’s geography clearly demonstrates its dual identity. “If you look at India’s geography, I think it says that India is both a continental and a maritime power,” he remarked. “So India enjoys a predominant position in the Indian Ocean region, and hence, we are always the first responder and preferred partner of choice for any other country.”
General Chauhan also cited examples of smaller yet strategically significant nations to illustrate how geography influences global trade and military relevance. He pointed to Djibouti’s position at the Bab el Mandeb Strait and Singapore’s proximity to the Strait of Malacca—both crucial maritime chokepoints for international commerce. He further noted that Indonesia, India’s closest maritime neighbour, connects the Pacific and Indian Oceans through key straits such as Malacca, Sunda, Lombok, and Ombai-Wetar, underscoring the interconnectedness of regional security and trade.
The session was held as part of the festival’s theme, “Heartland and Rimland Powers in a Multi-domain Warfare and India,” which explored how geography continues to shape strategic thinking in the 21st century. General Chauhan’s remarks highlighted India’s growing recognition of its maritime strength and its evolving role as a stabilising force in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific region.
