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The Indian Navy in the Next Millennium

Two strategic contents of India's maritime power were highlighted by two recent events: the combined deployment of the eastern and western naval fleets in the Arabian sea during the Kargil war and the fluent seizure on the high seas of the pirated Japanese merchant ship, MV Alondra Rainbow.

Both demonstrated India's maritime prowess and naval skills as a growing standoff deterrent. The first deterred Pakistan from escalating the war beyond Kargil. The second, the only case in maritime history of a pirated ship being recovered, will deter militancy in the Indian Ocean area.

The Cinderella of the armed forces is on the threshold of a new millennium. Armed with a robust conflict-prevention naval doctrine it is refurbishing its blue and brown water capabilities. The combined strength of the Navy and Coast Guard in the next 20 to 25 years will grow to 250 ships with scores of modern maritime aircraft. The coastal offshore brownwater tasks will go to the Coast Guard freeing the Navy for prosecuting its blue water capability in preventive defence.

The Navy is hoping it will shortly get the second aircraft carrier, the Russian Gorshkov. Ideally it requires three carriers, one for each seaboard and one in refit. Its modernisation programme calls for an additional Rs 1,000 crore annually over the next three to four years, over its lowly 13 per cent share of the defence budget which is expected to increase from the present 2.4 per cent to 3 per cent of the GDP.

The littoral threats to the country's area of interest emanate mainly from Pakistan and China. The latter does not posses a blue water capability at present but would, in the next few years, be able to make forays in the Bay of Bengal close to India's island territories. That is why Chinese naval bases in Myanmar are critical to these intrusions. India's strategic location astride the Gulf Oil Silk Route is a major security concern for China. It has, therefore, invested heavily in developing the Gwadar deep-sea port in Pakistan and Bandarabbas in Iran.

On the occasion of Navy Week, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sushil Kumar outlined his priorities and answered questions:

What is the focus of the Navy's modernisation programme?

The expected infusion of the naval budget would cater for the acquisition of force multipliers including strategic programmes to provide us a full-fledged blue water capability. In littoral warfare, credible land attack capability is a key requirement. The induction next year of Sindhu Shastra Kilo Class and Talwar Class destroyers equipped with 16 vertical launcher cruise missiles will reinforce that the offensive submarines are also being made cruise missile-capable. The other thrust area is fitting the existing long-range maritime patrol aircraft with air to surface missiles and acquiring a squadron of TU 22 supersonic maritime patrol aircraft.

What role do you see for the navy in the 21^st century?

Our national aim is to maintain a conflict free zone so that Indian economic activity is not imperiled in the Indian Ocean region. For this we will engage in preventive defence. The Indian naval doctrine rests on three pillars: maritime diplomacy -- navy to navy exchanges; a robust forward presence to curb militancy in the Indian Ocean area; and strategic agility in raising the threshold of confrontation. (He cited Kargil and seizure of the Alondra Rainbow to illustrate the last two ingredients of the doctrine). As part of maritime diplomacy India is holding the first ever international fleet review in 2001. And also training sailors from 25 countries.

How do you see the future role of Pakistan's navy?

It will continue with its limited sea-denial role. The Agosta 90 B submarines have a missile capability of 50 to 70 km. Unlike in India I do not expect any significant augmentation of naval assets in Pakistan.

What shape of the Navy are you working for?

We are looking essentially at a vessel strength of around 115 ships with a patent power punch. These platforms have to be blue water, versatile and multi-role. That is -- anti-ship aircraft and anti-submarine. In addition we seek to maintain minimum brigade size amphibious capacity for defence of our island territories.

What other assets are you coveting?

My main concern is to harness infotech, technalising manpower to build a robust command and control. We showed our future potential for this through international networking in the run up to the seizure of the MV Alondra Rainbow. The communication network established brought the International Maritime Bureau, Tokyo, the Piracy Reporting Centre, Kuala Lumpur, the Coast Guard, the Western Naval command, Naval Headquarters and fleet units at sea on one grid. This was no mean achievement.

Major General Ashok K Mehta (retd)