Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part K (2025)

India’s engagement with the Indo-Pacific is often analysed through strategic and geopolitical frames, yet this lens overlooks the deeper civilisational ideas that have long shaped India’s maritime worldview. This paper argues that contemporary doctrines such as SAGAR, Neighbourhood First and India’s Indo-Pacific vision draw upon older conceptions of the sea found in ancient texts, myths and historical port cultures. Using a qualitative, interpretive method, the study examines sources including the Rig Veda, Mahabharata, Sangam literature and Puranic narratives, alongside modern policy statements. It identifies continuities between ancient ideas of cooperation, ethical conduct and oceanic pluralism and India’s current emphasis on inclusivity, non-hegemony, capacity building and cultural diplomacy. By linking civilisational memory with maritime strategy, the paper fills a gap in Indo-Pacific scholarship and demonstrates that India’s maritime approach is shaped by both contemporary geopolitical concerns and enduring historical worldviews. It also suggests comparative avenues for future civilisational maritime research.