Bangladesh, Dec. 1 -- India has long stood at the crossroads of some of the worlds most strategic waterways, but in recent years, New Delhi has accelerated efforts to redefine its maritime identity and broaden its influence across the Indian Ocean and adjacent regions. This evolution reached a new milestone earlier this year during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Mauritius, where he unveiled Indias updated maritime vision: MAHASAGAR – an acronym for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, and a Sanskrit word meaning “ocean.”

With this, India signaled its intent not merely to protect its maritime interests but to shape a new architecture of security, cooperation and economic integra...