From Gulf to Strait: How Indian Navy Dominates Where Pakistan Docks

India's naval dominance, spanning from the Persian Gulf through the Arabian Sea and across to the Malacca Strait, highlights its strategic depth and blue-water capabilities.

In contrast, Pakistan's maritime influence remains restricted to coastal defence, revealing stark disparities between the two regional rivals.

The Indian Navy's strategic reach and operational capabilities are notably robust. Its fleet, comprising formidable assets such as aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, over a dozen destroyers, and advanced submarines, provides significant power projection capabilities.

Recent naval exercises such as TROPEX 2025 and deployments in the Arabian Sea have demonstrated India's operational readiness to secure critical maritime routes extending from the Horn of Africa and Persian Gulf to the Malacca Strait. The Navy's active participation in anti-piracy missions and humanitarian assistance, exemplified by operations like Sankalp and Vanilla, reinforces India's proactive maritime posture.

Central to India's maritime strategy is the Arabian Sea, a crucial geopolitical theatre. Over 80% of India's oil imports transit these waters, highlighting their importance for national energy security. In April 2025, the strategic deployment of INS Vikrant near key maritime trade chokepoints underscored India's capacity to assert dominance over vital economic lifelines. Pakistan, heavily reliant on maritime trade through ports like Karachi and Gwadar, faces potential economic disruption due to India's commanding presence. A blockade or strategic control could impact nearly $60 billion of annual Pakistani maritime commerce.

Pakistan's Navy, primarily designed for coastal defence, suffers from significant limitations. The fleet consists of just over 120 vessels, lacking any aircraft carriers or destroyers. With only eight submarines, half of which are ageing Agosta-class vessels requiring foreign upgrades, the Pakistan Navy's ability to operate effectively beyond coastal zones is severely restricted. Its operational strategy revolves around securing Karachi and Gwadar, limiting Pakistan's ability to project power or defend broader maritime interests.

A comparative analysis reveals the magnitude of India's naval advantage. India's fleet strength surpasses Pakistan's more than twofold, boasting advanced assets like nuclear submarines, indigenous destroyers with vertical launch missile systems, and state-of-the-art maritime patrol aircraft such as the P-8I Poseidon. Moreover, India's aggressive pursuit of indigenous shipbuilding contrasts sharply with Pakistan's heavy reliance on Chinese imports. Nearly 76% of India's naval technology, including the advanced systems aboard INS Vikrant, is domestically produced, compared to Pakistan's overwhelming dependence on China.

Further cementing India's dominance are its extensive naval diplomacy initiatives. Strategic partnerships and multinational exercises, notably with the QUAD nations (US, Japan, Australia) and recent trilateral drills involving France and the UAE, underscore India's commitment to regional maritime stability. Strategic port access agreements-such as those in Duqm (Oman), Sabang (Indonesia), and Agalega (Mauritius)-bolster India's operational flexibility and significantly enhance its strategic footprint.

Ultimately, India's blue-water navy establishes undeniable maritime superiority, projecting power and securing critical sea lanes from the Gulf to the Malacca Strait. In contrast, Pakistan remains constrained by its coastal-bound, green-water limitations, heavily dependent on external support. This strategic asymmetry positions India not merely as a dominant naval power but as a principal guardian of regional maritime security in the Indian Ocean region.

(Ashu Maan is an Associate Fellow at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies. He is currently pursuing his PhD from Amity University, Noida, in Defence and Strategic Studies.)