The Indian Ocean, 1968–1980

The Soviet Navy began continuous operations in the Indian Ocean in 1968. These operations generally have coincided with a major Soviet penetration of Africa and South Asia that is aimed at reducing Western influence along the entire Indian Ocean littoral and limiting Western access to the natural resources—especially the oil—of the Indian Ocean nations. Aside from controlling the natural resources of the area and the sea routes along which those resources move to the Western industrial nations, the potential benefits of the Indian Ocean Squadron to the Soviets are many. Prior to 1968, Soviet naval ships occasionally crossed the Indian Ocean, mainly from the western fleets to the Pacific. Soviet involvement in Somalia and Ethiopia and the strategic value of those endeavors have tended to overshadow the Indian Ocean Squadron&s;s other political activities. The Minsk&s;s final Indian Ocean port: visit, to Aden, was one of the most impressive Soviet calls in history.