India Ready To Dispatch Flotilla Of Warships To Persian Gulf

The lifting of nuclear-related sanctions on Iran by the US and other Western powers has opened up new horizons for India. For the last few months, India has been trying hard to boost its ties with Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other countries in West Asia in an attempt to stamp its authority in the Indian Ocean (which currently bears only its name). On Sunday, the Narendra Modi government in New Delhi confirmed that India would send a flotilla of warships to the Persian Gulf to add military heft to its ongoing stepped-up diplomatic outreach to the region.

A senior Indian Defence Ministry official told the press that it was (undoubtedly) a stunning decision by the government, as India did not make such a move in the past. The official, who wished to remain anonymous, said that India would make more such moves in future mainly to counter China's growing influence in the...