Abstract:
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), part of China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative, is an ambitious undertaking. It epitomises Beijing’s desire for connectivity with other regions and its efforts to make certain that its economy stays the course by diversifying energy import pathways. CPEC has an embedded strategic undertone as well. It is an answer to the United States’ Asia pivot and its growing support for New Delhi. The Indian Ocean will be a crucial battleground for the contest between opposing strategic partnerships, with the US and India on one side and China and Pakistan on the other. Sitting astride the all-important Strait of Hormuz, the port of Gwadar underpins CPEC. All four navies – the United States Navy (USN), Indian Navy (IN), Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and Pakistan Navy (PN) – will have vital roles to play in the unraveling maritime security environment in the region.
