New Delhi: With China seeking to consolidate its efforts to make its presence felt militarily and economically in the western Indian Ocean, India too stepped up its efforts in this region by appointing a defence attache for its mission in Madagascar, the island nation off the coast of east Africa.

This followed MEA’s decision earlier this month to bring the countries in the region under one umbrella, namely the Indian Ocean Region Division which handles Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles. This division will now also deal with Madagascar, Comoros and the French Reunion in the western Indian Ocean.

The government is hoping these moves will help it make strategic inroads into the Western Indian Ocean, a region China sees as its gateway to Africa. The appointment of a defence attache follows defence cooperation agreements which India signed with both Madagascar and Comoros recently.