How to counter China's maritime ambitions, secure seaborne trade routes

In the past few decades, seaborne trade has been integral to the economic growth of Asia. But China’s naval expansion is seen as a threat to the interests of many Asian and South East Asian countries. As PLA Navy is developing military bases in the South China Sea, Western Pacific and Eastern Indian Ocean. From the Indian point of view, securing trade flows in Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is crucial. Around 80 per cent of all seaborne trade in oil passes through the IOR. To understand how can China be countered by the global powers to make the region safe from military threats arising out of China? TOI spoke to Commodore C Uday Bhaskar (Retd).