The contradiction in diplomat KM Panikkar’s vision of a maritime strategy for India

Scroll.in observes that over ten years after India reoriented its grand strategy toward the Indian Ocean, officials still point to the 1945 essay by diplomat Kavalam Madhava Panikkar as the intellectual backbone of that shift. The article highlights a paradox: Panikkar’s original vision stressed cooperative sea power, yet today’s policy is often framed through a Mahan‑style emphasis on dominance and control of ocean space. While his work is invoked to legitimize New Delhi’s naval ambitions, critics say the historic ideas clash with the current focus on power projection. As the piece notes, the debate over how to reconcile Panikkar’s legacy with contemporary strategy remains unsettled.

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