US gives India policing power in the Indian Ocean

Taking note of India’s “growing influence” in global affairs, the US has said the country will be a net provider of security in the Indian Ocean and beyond with the growth of its military capabilities.

“The distribution of global political, economic and military power is shifting and becoming more diffuse. The rise of China, the world’s most populous country, and India, the world’s largest democracy, will continue to reshape the international system,” said the Quadrennial Defence Review (QDR) report released by US defence secretary Robert Gates.

The once-in-a-four year report, which shapes the policy of the Pentagon for the next four years, noted that while the US will remain the most powerful actor, it must increasingly cooperate with key allies and partners to build and sustain peace and security.