Introduction

Summary

The rise of Asian power and its transformed strategic profile in the 21st century is predicated on the robust economic performance of several countries in the region. Globalization and rapid economic development of these Asian countries has induced a new sense of confidence which is reflected in their strategic profile and standing in the West-led global order. In Asia, China and India are states with a long civilizational history of pre-eminence, and are now embarking on the process of economic-industrial transformation reflected in the trajectories of their phenomenal and sustained economic growth, socio-economic development, and strategic transformation. Their ability to adapt to the needs of a modern society has resulted in a powerful and resilient capacity to absorb the western institutional processes and indices of national power. These processes and indices have been gradually assimilated in their unique socio-cultural-political-strategic matrices.

The maritime history of the world shows that states have relied on maritime power for a full realization of their power potential. The Minoans, Phoenicians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Indians and Chinese have all exhibited a strong proclivity to maritime power that had expeditionary roles factored in them even as they launched their mercantile trade crisscrossing the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean and Asian waters through Southeast Asia as far as China. The quest for new lands and the necessity to trade with the affluent East encouraged the colonial powers such as the Portuguese, Dutch, British and French to invest significantly in maritime power. These colonial powers came to adorn the Asian littorals with forts and factories to support the domestic demands and in the process built strong maritime foundations.

The rise of Asian maritime power in the 21st century is now featuring the dynamic and determined rise of China and India. Their maritime rejuvenation is premised on high economic growth, burgeoning maritime trade, a promising maritime science and technology base, evolving military-industrial-technological transformation driven by the ongoing information revolution and a desire to build a robust maritime military capability. Further, the development of their industrial complex has led to several indigenously developed technologies aimed at self reliance to avoid overdependence on external sources of military hardware. Significantly, the Asian maritime power emerges amidst the overarching supremacy of the West, an emergence ironically brought about by globalization and liberal economic paradigm of global interdependence that has been introduced to the world by the United Statesled West.