Sino-Indian Competition and Small-State Responses in the Western Indian Ocean: The Cases of the Seychelles and Mauritius

The India-China rivalry, once concentrated on their contested land border, has now spilled decisively into the maritime domain, with both powers competing for influence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Much of the existing literature focuses on Sri Lanka and the Maldives, leaving the Seychelles and Mauritius relatively underexplored. This article addresses that gap by examining how India and China have expanded their engagement with these small island states across security, infrastructure, and political domains. Drawing on defense cooperation, infrastructure projects, and contested basing proposals, it shows that both islands adopt selective hedging, albeit in different forms. Mauritius practices asymmetrical hedging, balancing with India on security while bandwagoning with China for economic gains, whereas the Seychelles follows symmetrical hedging, dividing roles more evenly between the two powers. Domestic politics—sovereignty concerns, environmental pressures, and transparency demands—emerges as the key variable constraining deeper alignment. The article concludes that competition for influence in these island states will intensify, making them critical sites in the evolving India-China rivalry.