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ABSTRACT
Asia-Pacific has been christened as a decider launch-pad for the global power transition in
the 21st century where the US is confronting the rise of China. Integrated deterrence
approach is adopted by the US in its National Defence strategy to counter the growing
influence of China. To curtail China, in Indian Ocean the US is involved in different
strategic engagements such as QUAD, AUKUS, I2U2, and other strategic alliances with
India. The research is analyzed through the lens of Security Dilemma by John Herz that
how the rise of China is instilling security dilemma in the US as threat to status quo.
Consequently, to maintain international order the US has directed its focus to overwhelm
China and the power struggle has shifted to Indian Ocean. This paper tries to scrutinize how
the integrated deterrence approach in Indian Ocean is making it highly militarized and
nuclearized water body around the globe.