India, Oct. 12 -- China is perfecting a new kind of playbook for the Indian Ocean Region-one that advances its strategic reach without the diplomatic friction that comes with overt basing. Where a Chinese military footprint provokes alarm, Beijing now relies on trusted intermediaries to secure access under friendlier flags. Nowhere is this quiet recalibration clearer than in the Horn of Africa, where Pakistan's new defence agreement with Somalia mirrors China's sea-lane priorities while avoiding the optics of a direct PLA presence.

China's 2017 base at Djibouti-the first overseas facility of the People's Liberation Army-was a turning point in Beijing's global military posture. Positioned at the gateway to the Red Sea and Suez Canal, it g...