Navigating India and Taiwan relations amid China’s maritime modernization: Analyzing the dynamics of Alfred Mahan, offensive realism and English School

Abstract This paper argues that China’s contemporary maritime strategy aligns with the theories of Alfred Mahan and offensive realism, as reflected in official documents and public addresses of the People Republic of China (PRC). The continuous modernization of China’s naval capabilities corresponds with this wider strategic pattern. China’s rise as a major maritime power has implications for India’s strategic inrests in the Indo-Pacific region. While India has pursued multiple strategies to counter China’s naval expansion, it has largely neglected to strengthen ties with Taiwan, primarily due to adherence to the One China Policy despite shared democratic and cultural values with Taiwan. Using the English School framework, this study assesses how India and Taiwan could align their policies despite the constraints of the One China Policy. To illustrate this, the case study of the Malacca Strait has been taken as it is a geopolitically vital corridor for India, China, and Taiwan. The findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of regional security dynamics and India’s strategic options in the Indo-Pacific region.