The United States describes its Indo-Pacific strategy as “an ironclad and enduring commitment to” a region that spans from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian subcontinent. But while reading between the lines, the concept of Indo-Pacific gained momentum during 2000s when Chinese maritime expansion started to challenge United State’s primacy in the Western Pacific.

In the war of Kurukshetra battle troops were tabulated on the unit of “Akshauhini”. One “akshauhini” comprised of 500,000 warriors, 21,870 chariots and elephants each, 65,610 horses and 109,350 infantry. The ideal ratio, thus, in one “akshauhini” is one chariot: one elephant: three cavalry: five infantry soldiers. Emulating this very structure, an ancient strategic game by name of Chaturanga developed in the Indian subcontinent. It employed the use of small figurines to represent the elephants, chariots, cavalry, and infantry and was played on checkered boards of eight by eight grid.