A Soviet force in the Indian Ocean threatened trade routes and movements of goods that NATO could not ignore. Defeating it with confidence required a stronger force than the Soviets had deployed. Seeking a safer operation increased that commitment further. The deployment's strategic value lay in diverting NATO forces from more important theatres, even when the Soviet force offered limited prospects for decisive combat of its own.
Notable Point · 55:15-56:46
Soviet Indian Ocean deployments drew NATO forces away
Minsk's distant deployment could force NATO to commit stronger forces to protecting Indian Ocean trade, drawing them away from other theatres.