New Delhi, July 29 -- Geography is an enemy to China's aspirations for a powerful blue-water navy. While one cannot doubt the might of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), China remains hemmed in by a network of islands and land masses that stand in the way of free access to the Pacific Ocean.

Another obstacle for Chinese military domination is its lack of true allies and, correspondingly, a network of military bases around the world it can rely upon in time of need. China's isolation sharply contrasts with its nemesis the USA, which demonstrated its ability to deploy over long distances and to intimately interoperate with allies like Australia and the UK during the recently concluded Exercise Talisman Sabre in Australia.

Geostrate...