By virtue of its peninsular geography -- and potential adversaries on either side -- India's strategic need is for a two-ocean navy.
Exaclty.
They intend to have three carrier groups.
One for the west (Arabian Sea), one for the east (Bay of Begal), and one to be in maintenance and workup while the other two are active. In that way they can cover their interests and threats in the entire Indian Ocean.
The US should look very favorably to having what should be two allied CSGs in the Indian Ocean to go along with our own that we pretty much keep on station there now.
Their growth and modernization is a response to China.
As is the current growth and modernization in Australia, Japan, South Korea, and even the Philippines...though the Philippines are much more financially constrained.