New Delhi, Aug. 4 -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent diplomatic itinerary-spanning the Maldives and the coastal state of Tamil Nadu in southern India a few days ago-offers profound insights into India's evolving Indian Ocean strategy. These visits, occurring within days of each other, are not isolated events but part of a coherent regional vision. Together, they signal how India is leveraging diplomacy, development partnerships, cultural revival, and strategic infrastructure to reshape its role in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as a civilisational and stabilising power.

In the Maldives, Modi's participation in the archipelago's 60th Independence Day celebrations marked a diplomatic reset. Relations had previously faced turbul...