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The Indian Navy seems to have convinced its political powers of its importance: once the least-favored member of the armed forces of the country locked in its confrontation with Pakistan, it is now ranked seventh in the world. India, like China, had lost its predominance over the sea but remained focused on its land border. Extending its influence through an active naval diplomacy towards the great powers and Asian and East African nations, the Indian Navy became a de facto ally of the United States and Japan against Beijing’s rising fleet. Inspired by the Russian model, it favors the anti-ship cruise missile fired in salvos to overwhelm an opponent’s defenses while using its current and future aircraft carriers for air defense rather than power projection. A national priority, its first nuclear strategic submarine will have to wait one or two decades before receiving a long range missile that will give it a true second strike capability against its northern rival.