INS Shardul, a landing ship tank of the Indian Navy, arrives at Port Louis, Mauritius, as part of the Long-Range Training Deployment in the South West Indian Ocean Region, September 8, 2025. Recent political developments in some Indian Ocean island nations, particularly Mauritius, are enhancing New Delhi’s leverage and prestige in the region. This remains a U.S.-U.K. military base, strategically located at the center of the Indian Ocean. Securing ChokepointsFurther north in the Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy continues to secure two key choke points – the Lakshadweep and Andaman islands – through which international commercial shipping is funneled. In 2012, the Indian Navy inaugurated a naval air base, INS Baaz, at the very mouth of the Malacca Strait.