This article examines the intensifying great power rivalry in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), focusing on the strategic interplay between U.S.-led Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS) and China’s maritime expansion through its blue-water navy and String of Pearls infrastructure network. Centered on the geostrategic chokepoint of the Strait of Malacca, this study utilizes a qualitative content analysis of secondary sources including defense white papers, academic publications, and policy reports to unpack the narratives and strategic postures underlying both actors’ naval maneuvers. Findings indicate that U.S.-led FONOPS serve not only as assertions of international maritime norms but also as instruments of alliance reassurance and deterrence signaling. In contrast, China’s evolving blue-water capabilities and the consolidation of dual-use port facilities reflect a layered strategy aimed at securing its sea lines of communication (SLOCs) and counterbalancing perceived encirclement. The study also reveals that regional actors, particularly ASEAN states, are navigating an increasingly complex security landscape marked by strategic hedging, infrastructure dependency, and maritime capability building. The interplay of these dynamics underscores a shifting maritime order in which chokepoint control emerges as both a tactical necessity and a geopolitical symbol of strategic primacy.