Indian Navy Must Be Combat-Ready at all times Navy Chief Robin Dhowan’s recent observation that Chinese activity has gone up in the Indian Ocean region albeit its fleet is inadequate needs to be seen as a wake-up call for the Indian naval establishment. Months after a stand-off along the disputed Indo-China border in the Himalayas, Chinese submarines have shown up in Sri Lanka off India’s southern coast. China has also strengthened its ties with the Maldives. These reflect its determination to beef up Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean, through which four-fifths of its oil imports pass, and coincides with escalating tension in South China Sea, where Beijing’s naval superiority has rattled neighbours. All this makes it imperative to take urgent steps to beef up Indian naval preparedness. The UPA government did little to make the Navy combat-ready for emerging challenges. Mercifully, the NDA government seems to be attaching due importance to fulfilling the Navy’s long-felt equipment needs. Apart from equipping the Navy to counter the Chinese threat, New Delhi must seek naval cooperation on a war footing with Japan and Australia, and expand the military base on the Andaman Islands, about 140km from the Malacca Straits. The Navy has now also factored into its security calculus the prospect of terrorists commandeering Pakistani warships in their bid to wreak havoc on India. The Navy is closely monitoring incidents like the failed attempt by al-Qaeda’s Indian subcontinent wing to hijack Pakistani frigates at Karachi in September, ostensibly to use them against Indian and US ships. According to Admiral Dhowan, China is creating maritime infrastructure at various ports around us which makes it vital that we be vigilant. Admiral Dhowan added that it was the Navy’s responsibility to ensure India’s interests “are allowed to grow unhindered” wherever they may be, either in its primary area of geopolitical interest stretching from the Persian Gulf to Malacca Strait or beyond, both in times of “war and peace”. There is indeed no room for complacency.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 10:02:51 +0000
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