The Indian Navy Charts A New Course With Its 2016 International Fleet Review

In the past, Indian influence and culture spread to distant shores in Southeast
Asia, East Asia, and East Africa, among other parts of the world through the mar
itime realm. However, once the country became independent in 1947, the focus tur
ned inward and India became more of a continental power. This was dictated by ge
ography, as New Delhi became embroiled in land wars with its western neighbor Pa
kistan and a short border war with its northern neighbor China.
This continental focus seems to be changing in recent times, especially since th
e end of the Cold War and the liberalization of the Indian economy. In keeping w
ith New Delhi s increasing attention toward the maritime domain, the Indian Navy r
ecently held an International Fleet Review off Visakhapatnam, on India s eastern s
eaboard, earlier this month. With a smorgasbord of naval vessels from over 50 co
untries across the world in attendance, the event was undoubtedly significant.
This marks the second time that India has hosted an International Fleet Review.
The first took place in 2001 off Mumbai and saw naval vessels from 29 countries
in attendance. Generally, Fleet Reviews are held once during the term of each In
dian president.
The Indian Navy plays a key role in ensuring the safety and security of India s se
a lanes of communication. This is important since India is a net importer of ene
rgy. The Navy has also played a key role in the evacuation of Indian nationals f
rom war zones, including in Yemen recently. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi note
d in his speech at the International Fleet Review, the Indian Ocean is one of th
e most important waterways of the world and through it traverses half of the worl
d s container traffic and close to one-third of the world s cargo traffic.
Given this context, why is this recent International Fleet Review so important?
First, the latest review demonstrates that the Modi government has its sights se
t on increasing India s maritime footprint. During his visit to the Indian Ocean i
sland countries of Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius in March last year, Modi
outlined that India seeks a future for the Indian Ocean that lives up to the nam
e of SAGAR Security and Growth for All in the Region.
Second, the review underlines India s firm commitment to maintaining the Indian Oc
ean as its strategic backyard. Beijing s efforts to increase its influence in the In
dian Ocean region through initiatives like the Maritime Silk Road and its outreach
to countries in India s immediate neighborhood like Sri Lanka and the Maldives ha
ve only strengthened New Delhi s resolve.
Third, the review highlighted that the Indian Navy is keen to increase its inter
operability with the navies of many countries. The aspiration to greater interop
erability is broad, covering areas like anti-piracy efforts and disaster relief.
India joined hands with countries like the United States, Australia, Japan, and
Indonesia to provide rescue and recovery efforts in the wake of the Boxing Day
tsunami of 2004. It has also been a proactive player in anti-piracy efforts in t
he Indian Ocean region. Moreover, New Delhi now buys naval hardware from a host
of countries, a change from earlier times. For instance, India bought P-8I marit
ime patrol aircraft from the United States and is negotiating to buy Japanese-ma
de US-2 maritime reconnaissance aircraft. A broader range of defense hardware ca
n abet Indian aspirations to increased interoperability with partner navies.
However, despite the focus on positive trends at the fleet review, India continu
es to face significant challenges in the naval domain. Its submarine fleet has s
uffered a string of mishaps in the last couple of years. Additionally, the India
n Navy s share of the defense budget stood at a dismal 16 percent of the total las
t year, highlighting its relative backseat to the country s land and air forces. F
or instance, the Indian Army got 53 percent of the defense budget.

New Delhi has also borne the brunt of terrorist attacks through the sea as seen
in the horrendous Mumbai 2008 attacks. Coastal security still remains a concern
today, especially given that India has a huge coastline of around 7,500 km. New
Delhi also has to step up its indigenization processes. It is already building i
ts first aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, which is expected to be commissioned
in 2017.
In his book, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History 1660-1783, the renowned nav
al historian and strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan noted that it was the British Na
vy that stood between Napoleon and his domination of the world. As New Delhi asp
ires to play a bigger role on the global stage, the Navy will remain an importan
t force multiplier.
All said and done, the Indian Navy will play an increasingly proactive role in t
he coming years and months in the waters of the Indo-Pacific. As in the past, co
mmand of the high seas will be one of the key determinants of geopolitical influ
ence.
Dr. Rupakjyoti Borah is a Research Fellow with the Japan Forum for Strategic Stu
dies, Tokyo. He researched Japan-India maritime relations as a Visiting Fellow
at the Japan Institute of International Affairs, Tokyo. The views expressed are
personal.
Safe seas, safer India
February 11, 2016
We need to ensure that we have a Navy which will provide both safer seas and stra
tegic sea-based deterrence , and the first step would be to increase its budget an
d fill in the gap in its underwater combat capability.
In 1415, King Henry V is reported to have inspected the English fleet before it
sailed for war with France, thus beginning the tradition of fleet review by the
head of state. In modern times nations have held fleet reviews, both at the nati
onal (called PFR, or Presidential Fleet Review) and international (called IFR, o
r International Fleet Review) levels, to showcase their maritime growth while at
the same time improving goodwill and friendship with other nations.
Traditionally, as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the President of In
dia reviews the fleet once during his tenure in office. The PFR or IFR is a gran
d ceremony where the President sails in a ship designated as the presidential ya
cht and inspects the warships at anchorage. Seminars, a city parade and a naval f
irepower demonstration which showcases naval combat capabilities to the political
leadership and public who watch it from the seafront also take place.
On October 10, 1953, India held its first PFR with President Rajendra Prasad rev
iewing the Indian fleet at Bombay. Till now, India has had seven PFRs and two IF
Rs. Having participated as Eastern Fleet commander in India s first-ever IFR held
at Mumbai on February 17, 2001, I was looking forward to attending the second IF
R, which was held on February 6 at Visakhapatnam though I was unable to attend t
he same due to other commitments. It was a grand affair with 54 nations particip
ating and 24 nations sending their warships. China which had missed IFR 2001 bec
ause Pakistan was not invited
sent two warships and a delegation, while Pakistan
, though invited, did not attend. Visakhapatnam, which was ravaged in 2015 by a
super cyclone, received a much-needed facelift to welcome foreign visitors who i
ncluded 21 Navy Chiefs, ambassadors, and military officers, in addition to the t
op Indian leadership, including the President, Prime Minister, defence minister,
governors, chief ministers, etc.

The Indian Navy was represented by over 70 warships, 34 aircraft and submarines.
The Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft also participated along with merchant
ships.
Over 99 warships (including 28 foreign warships from 24 nations) present at anch
orage off Visakhapatnam, along with numerous VIPs and massive crowds, posed a hu
ge security challenge given the number of terrorist attacks emanating from neigh
bouring countries.
The Indian Navy, along with other security agencies, ensured that a layered seaw
ard security system based on constant patrolling by ships, aircraft and submarin
es ensured safety against any sea-borne terror strike during IFR 2016.
As the IFR concluded on February 8, India announced that it would host a 30-nati
on Global Maritime Summit in Mumbai from April 14-16. This will be inaugurated by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the aim of attracting $6 billion as foreign di
rect investment to boost India s maritime infrastructure, which contributes direct
ly to Indian economic growth as 90 per cent of trade and over 80 per cent of our
oil imports are done via the seas. This is indeed a laudable move and shows how
the Indian leadership is aware of the linkage of Indian economic growth to the
oceans of the world.
Another timely and relevant event is Defexpo 2016, which is being held for the f
irst time in Goa from March 26 to 31. The shift in venue from New Delhi (Pragati
Maidan) to Goa could be partly due to defence minister Manohar Parrikar being a
Goan. However, it also indicates that New Delhi is finally overcoming its tradi
tional sea blindness and India is taking its first step to becoming a sea power.
However, despite the spectacular IFR 2016 and the statement by Chief of Naval St
aff Admiral R.K. Dhowan that India is at present indigenously building 46 ships
and submarines, I did notice that only three obsolete Kilo-class conventional su
bmarines participated in the IFR.
This indicates the rather sorry state of our submarine fleet which has rapidly r
educed to 13 conventional units of which 12 have reached or will shortly reach t
he end of their designed operational 25-year life.
Worse, all this comes at a time when the Chinese media had reported that a Chine
se submarine was also on deployment in the Indian Ocean (during IFR).
Attempts to extend the lives of these obsolete submarines by another 10 years wi
th expensive refits costing Rs 5,000 crore is not going to meet the challenges p
osed by new capabilities being introduced by the Chinese and Pakistani Navies.
The six conventional Scorpene-class submarines currently under construction at M
azagaon Docks Ltd (Mumbai) are over six years behind schedule and will enter ser
vice between 2016 and 2022. This leaves a huge vacuum in our underwater combat c
apability, which needs to be urgently addressed by direct purchase of SSNs (subm
erged ship, nuclear) or tactical nuclear submarines before we are confronted by
a surprise at sea like the disastrous 1962 Sino-India war.
For the record, China has over 50 conventional submarines, six SSNs and three SS
BNs (ship submersible ballistic, nuclear), and one Chinese sub is always on depl
oyment in the Indian Ocean, while Pakistan (which has five French Agosta-class c
onventional subs) has ordered eight modern Chinese Qing-class missile-firing con
ventional subs (four to be built in Karachi and four to be imported).
The IFR 2016 was a good opportunity to showcase the emerging nuclear submarine f
orce of the Indian Navy. It would have been a feather in our cap if Mr Modi coul
d have commissioned our first indigeneous SSBN, Arihant, just before or during t

he IFR, thus enabling participation in the IFR by this vital asset which will fo
rm the third leg of our triad-based nuclear deterrence. Hopefully, Mr Modi will
commission INS Arihant soon.
So, while the Indian Navy has done the nation proud by conducting IFR 2016 and t
he government has taken the next logical step of announcing its plan of hosting
a global maritime summit, a lot needs to be done.
We need to ensure that we have a blue-water Navy which will provide both safer se
as and strategic sea-based deterrence , and the first step in this direction would
be to increase its budget and fill in the gap in its underwater combat capabili
ty.
The writer retired as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Comm
and, Visakhapatnam
Source: Asianage
IFR leads to positive impact on Port City's civic amenities, business
February 10, 2016
Visakhapatnam: Finally, the mega event International Fleet Review (IFR) is over.
But not without leaving its impact on the denizens and the city and marking the
Port City in the international map. Thanks to this event hosted by the Indian N
avy, especially the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), the city got a makeover, looks
much cleaner and greener, smarter with better civic amenities provided due to th
e relentless efforts of the Navy as well as civic bodies.
On the other hand, there are a few glitches that the event has brought to the fo
re, especially with reference to traffic management and efficacy of traffic cops
. A cross section of denizens share their views regarding the various fallouts o
f IFR.
"It was everyone's contribution and involvement during IFR that is commendable.
A mason, painter and labourer as well as individual citizens have shown responsi
bility, been disciplined, tolerant and patient so as to help in completion of ci
vic beautification works for the IFR. However, only selected areas of the city g
ot highlighted as was required for the event. So, the remaining parts of Vizag n
eed to learn the value of cleanliness, hygiene and discipline in various civic a
spects and let IFR be a learning experience for them," said Jayshree Hatangadi,
member of Intach (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage).
Vivek Rathod, an engineer and founder of the NGO Trendsetters, pointed out that
there are both reasons to be happy and dissatisfied. "The Navy's mega event has
opened the fascinating world of Naval ships, aircraft, helicopters, daredevil de
monstrations to the common people though spotting of some foreign ships (other t
han on television screens) could have made it more interesting. Thanks to the In
dian Navy, especially ENC, for putting up a fabulous show."
"Secondly, parts of Vizag got a makeover. New footpaths, street lights, public t
oilets, landscapes, paintings on walls, plantation drive, all added to the beaut
y and civic amenities of the Bay City. It would indirectly boost business and in
vestment options, especially in the hospitality and tourism sector. Sign boards,
which were missing since ages at various junctions and heritage sites, have bee
n placed too and so are dustbins, which have come up at all corners of the city,
" he said.

But on the flipside, only the roads where delegates and VIP convoys passed throu
gh were renovated though the rest of the city roads too need attention from civi
c authorities. It's also to be seen whether all that the Navy and the urban deve
lopment authorities have constructed for IFR, such as the roads, landscape, sign
boards, street lights, surveillance cameras, toilets, dustbins, are well-maintai
ned in future, said Rathod.
Meanwhile, director of Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) and deputy s
uperintendent of King George Hospital Dr PV Sudhakar quipped that the traffic co
ps could have been better trained in etiquette and doing their job efficiently.
"All that they could do was to shoo away public and vehicles, including valid pa
ss holders from entering different roads, without bothering to guide the people
where to go or where to park their vehicles. Though the Navy tried to do their b
est, the needless restrictions put up by the state traffic department in some pl
aces caused utter chaos, mismanagement, lapses of protocol, where deserving gues
ts didn't get a proper seat or had to wait, without the traffic staff to guide t
hem," he said.
How International Fleet Review changed Vizag
February 07, 2016
Our city has recently gone through a transformative change. Several parts of Viz
ag have gone from ugly to beautiful in a month. Encroachments have been cleared,
greenery has been laid, walls have been painted, pavements have been tiled and
the city has a clean new look. We must admit that Vizag has never ever looked so
bright and shining.The challenge
Getting an existing city like Vizag spruced up so quickly is not an easy job. Th
ose of us who have got a house renovated realise that every work looks simple un
til we start. But then things go wrong. Workers don't turn up, wrong materials a
re purchased, things break, unanticipated jobs crop up and the journey to comple
tion is never smooth. Old parts of the city that has grown organically over many
decades are never easy to fix. Plans were to be made, money had to come in quic
kly, contractors with adequate human and monetary resources had to be co-opted.
To top it all off, the IFR imposed a deadline on the city. Considering the chall
enges, even the most diehard critics of Vizag administration will admit that our
local bodies such as the GVMC, Vuda, EPDCL, VPT and several others have perform
ed commendably to give Vizag the makeover it required. We Vizagites must graciou
sly acknowledge this superlative effort and applaud our city administrators.
The trickle-down benefits
The extraordinary thing about IFR is that it boosted employment like never befor
e. Thousands of specialist workers were employed; painters, artists, welders, ma
sons, gardeners, electricians, JCB operators and drivers went to work for Vizag.
More than 5,000 additional sanitary workers, 2,000 labourers, 1,000 skilled wor
kers, 300 gardeners and many others were pressed into service to spruce up Vizag
. Most of these employees are daily wage earners and many were working two shift
s a day therefore doubling their incomes. We are told that around Rs 90 crore wa
s spent on IFR. Estimating that 30% of this expenditure is the labour component
we are talking about putting Rs 30 crore into the hands of around 10,000 workers
over a period of two months. This translates to Rs 30,000 per person over two m
onths. And if two or more members of a family are working we are talking about a
substantial increase in family incomes. With increased earnings, there is bound
to be increased expenditure. Daily wage earners can now purchase things beyond
essentials and that means Vizag's businesses also benefit.

Everyone's baby
When anyone works on such a challenging project, there is an enhanced involvemen
t in the city. The labourer who helped erect a sign board, the artist who hand p
ainted the medians with exquisite floral designs, gardeners who lovingly planted
the flowering plants along the road side, the men and women who worked hard to
complete the thousands of tasks required to be done before IFR will all have pos
itive feelings for Vizag. As a fall out of this warm feeling, Vizag will benefit
from an increased emotional equity. For a population that typically gets left o
ut of the mainstream, this is a wonderful thing to happen. As the economy recove
rs, the incomes of this segment of people will improve. An emotional stake in th
e city will benefit the city and the administration.
Training grounds
Many of us have been severe critics of how our city is run. Yet we have seen it
transform rapidly. Was this possible only with money? Did human desire to improv
e and administrative competence not play a part? Whatever may be the answer, it
is irrefutable that a task of this nature hones the organisational and managemen
t skills of the officials who run our city. They learn to take decisions quickly
; they learn to delegate and empower their staff and their technical skills are
enhanced. In short, they become better managers. With the Smart City funds comin
g in and more complex works to be done, the administrative and management skills
will come handy.
The role of the Navy
Those who command armed forces throughout the world are excellent managers and I
ndia's navy is blessed with especially competent leaders. Their lives and those
of ours depend on meticulous planning and steely resolve to achieve targets. It
is therefore a wonderful opportunity for civil administration to imbibe these qu
alities from our navy. While the navy has a powerful command structure and instr
uctions must be carried out any cost, the civilian organisations have to use a s
ofter-softer approach. In its interaction with the civilian administration, the
Navy would surely have picked up a few points on interacting with civilians in a
hectic project environment.
Traffic management and the police
Because the IFR publicity has been so effective and Vizag's public so enthusiast
ic, everyone wanted to make a beeline to the beach. The bumper to bumper traffic
, frequent blockage of traffic due to VIP movement and security drills have disr
upted traffic immensely and made road users angry. To add to that, special secur
ity protocols have resulted in situations where the traffic management looks app
arently unreasonable. Everyone knows that lack of information makes people angri
er therefore it would help to have improved information on the roads. This would
have been a good time to try out FM radio and mobile messaging to help drivers
and riders negotiate their city roads better. A little better interaction betwee
n police and the public would have gone a long way in assuaging these negative f
eelings. Yet the police have done a tough job admirably staying out long hours i
n the sun with hardly any facilities to refresh themselves. Vizagites must reach
out to those men and women. Just sending the police in front of your apartment
a cup of tea will bolster their spirits greatly.
Bottom line
Much work still needs to be done, many of our heritage sites need improvement an
d protection; lung spaces must increase and our old city needs urgent re-buildin
g. Importantly, our public spaces must be accessible for children, the aged and
the infirm. The bottom line is that Vizag, a city we all love, has benefitted fr

om IFR in more ways than one and the journey has just started. When the IFR is o
ver and things are quiet, we can go out and marvel at how beautiful our city rea
lly is. We must keep our city tidy not only for occasions like IFR but for ourse
lves, our visiting guests and for future generations. We must resolve to be more
engaged with Vizag's affairs as better citizens. The future is in our hands. We
Vizagites own this city and won't let anyone mess with it.
International Fleet Review unites nations through oceans, says President
ViSAKHAPATNAM: While showcasing the prowess of the Indian Navy, the Internationa
l Fleet Review has brought together navies from across the globe on Indian shore
s, signifying the common desire to use the seas to promote peace, cooperation an
d friendship as also to develop partnerships for a secure maritime future, said
President Pranab Mukherjee here on Saturday.
As the supreme commander of the armed forces, the President of India reviewed 70
warships at the IFR-2016 off the Vizag coast on Saturday in the presidential ya
cht INS Sumitra. After a 21 gun salute and ceremonial Guard of Honour, the Presi
dent embarked on the INS Sumitra along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief
minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, governor ESL Narasimhan, navy chief RK Dhowan a
nd air force and army chiefs.
Addressing the gathering onboard the President fleet of four ships - INS Sumitra
, INS Sumedha, INS Sarayu and INS Sunaina - President Mukherjee said the IFR has
enabled all the participating nations to work together to secure the seas for t
he great good of humanity.
"The presence of foreign countries in such large numbers has made this event spe
ctacular and truly reflects the spirit of this fleet review. We are indeed 'unit
ed through oceans'. The navies of the world have a unique role in promoting good
will, nurturing peace and tranquillity in the oceans," he said.
The President said the ships and personnel participating at this momentous fleet
review are ambassadors of great nations. "The message of friendship and goodwil
l of their people strengthens our belief in promoting peace, prosperity and stab
ility for mutual co-existence and ensuring secure seas. The navies world over ha
ve conducted fleet reviews to symbolise their loyalty, allegiance to the nation,
and strengthen bonds between the sailors and the state."

He said India's geographical location, astride the major shipping routes on the
Indian Ocean, gives it a pivotal maritime role. He further said that the Indian
Navy, accordingly, has re-aligned its maritime strategy to reflect the changes i
n the evolving global environment and has established a credible record of coope
rative initiatives to promote stability of the oceans. It has played a central r
ole in ensuring safety of the vital sea lines of communication, across the India
n Ocean.
The President reviewed the fleet of 70 ships including air craft carriers INS Vi
kramaditya, INS Viraat, INS Ranvijay and INS Ranvir and 24 foreign ships from US
, China, Brazil, Malaysia, Vietnam, Russia, Japan, Oman and UK, besides 50 saili
ng boats, all women crew of Mhadei and other ships anchored in 6 lanes in the fo
ur legs format.

The VVIPs and other foreign delegates witnessed a fly-past of 15 formations by 4

5 aircraft. Various rotary and fixed winged aircraft such as Chetak, Seaking, Dh

ruv, Khamov, Dornier including coast guard, sea dragon, P8I surveillance aircraf
t, sea harriers Hawks MK 132 and MIG 29K, enthralled the audience. Helobatics an
d search and rescue operations were performed by the navy personnel. During the
final stage of the review, a mobile column of warships and submarines carried ou
t high speed steam past alongside the Presidential yacht and last leg three subm
arines were also anchored for the review.
President to Review Naval Fleet Today
February 06, 2016
President to Review Naval Fleet Today
VISAKHAPATNAM: President Pranab Mukherjee will review the naval fleet of nearly
100 ships and submarines including 24 foreign ships off the Visakhapatnam coast
here on Saturday, as part of the ongoing International Fleet Review-2016 (IFR-16
). The President will be accompanied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, defence mi
nister Manohar Parrikar and other dignitaries.
It may be noted that this is the eleventh Fleet Review post India s independence a
nd the second one being conducted in India. The first IFR was conducted off Mumb
ai coast in 2001. A Fleet Review is a ceremonial and stately inspection of Naval
warships by the President of a country. As the Supreme Commander of the Indian
Armed Forces, Pranab Mukherjee will receive a 21-gun salute and a ceremonial Gua
rd of Honour upon his arrival at the Naval Dockyard on Saturday morning. He will
embark on the Presidential Yacht INS Sumitra which would sail through 70 ships
at anchorage off Visakhapatnam. The yacht will lead the Presidential Column and
will be distinguished by the Ashoka emblem on her side and flying of the Preside
nt s Standard on the Mast. The frontline navies of India and the visiting foreign
nations along with the ships from the Indian Coast Guard and Mercantile Marine,
will participate in the fleet review. All ships will be dressed in full to salut
e the President as his Yacht passes. Each ship will be manned by her company, dr
essed in white ceremonial uniform. The President will also review the air arm of
the Indian Navy in a display of fly-past by 45 aircraft including helicopters c
omprising 15 formations.
In the final stage of the review, a mobile column of warships and submarines wil
l steam past the Presidential Yacht. This display will also showcase the latest
acquisitions of the Indian Navy. Further, the Marine Commandos will display enth
ralling waterfront activities, followed by helicopter demonstrations.
International Fleet Review 2016 : Looking Beyond the Ceremonial
February 06, 2016
International Fleet Review 2016 : Looking Beyond the Ceremonial
India s Maritime Equations
India is the most credible regional naval power in the Indian Ocean Region and C
hina is seeking to establish the same in the western Pacific.
The US has a visible naval presence in the Indo-Pacific and the re-arrangement o
f naval assets to manage China s emergence is the current naval dynamic in the reg
ion.
The focus is on cooperative effort at sea, but security and strategic underpinni
ng of the maritime domain merit scrutiny.
The presence of the major powers, a contour of 50 plus countries and naval chief
s of 20 others, has complex policy relevance for India.
The US, China and India will have to work towards an acceptable index of strateg
ic equipoise in the maritime domain that will not disrupt their geo-economic tra

jectory.
The high-point of the International Fleet Review (IFR) in Visakhapatnam is Presi
dent Pranab Mukherjee reviewing the 90 plus warships on Saturday from the Presid
ential yacht and the assembled ships will include 22 from foreign navies. This I
FR is the second such mega maritime event
the first having been held in Mumbai i
n 2001.
IFR 2016 has an impressive contour with 50 plus countries participation and over
20 are represented by their naval chiefs and this includes the US. Other major n
avies that are part of the IFR are Russia, France, Japan, China and the regional
representation includes Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
but no Pakistan. Unity through
the oceans is the theme for the IFR and this builds on the friendship theme of 20
01.
PM Modi and members of the Union cabinet will also witness the review and operat
ional demonstrations that will showcase the capabilities of the Indian Navy (IN)
the silent service
which is also the smallest of the three Indian armed forces.
The strategic relevance and profile of the IN is inversely proportional to its
size and budgetary allocation - 16 percent of the total defence budget. This pat
tern is unlikely to change significantly in the near future given the insular an
d inflexible nature of budgetary planning in India.
To IN s credit, the service has been able to outline a holistic strategic vision f
or itself in relation to the larger national effort. This document, which was fi
rst published a decade ago by the naval HQ, has been periodically updated, and t
he latest iteration is now in the public domain.
Over the last two years, the IN has gone through a bad patch and this includes t
he loss of a submarine in the harbour which resulted in the resignation of the n
aval chief at the time, and a steady decline in the quantity and material qualit
y of major platforms.
To the credit of Naval Chief Admiral Robin Dhowan, the IN is now back on an even
keel and the scale of the IFR is testimony to the institutional confidence and
credibility that has since been restored.
While the focus is on the cooperative effort at sea, it is the latent security a
nd strategic underpinning of the maritime domain that merits scrutiny. Cooperati
ve effort at sea is a shared objective in relation to maintaining safety and sec
urity of the sea lines of communication in the extended Indian Ocean region (IOR
), and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) is a motherhood and ap
ple-pie commitment
The global maritime focus has progressively shifted to the western Pacific ocean
and the IOR (from the oil rich Persian Gulf to the Malacca strait) and this is
often referred to as the Indo-Pacific theatre.
This is the critical trade or energy conduit of the early 21st century that sust
ains economic vitality and an instructive foot-print is discernible. Concurrentl
y, it is estimated that over the next two decades, if not earlier, the global ec
onomy will have a tri-polar characteristic
as regards single state economies com
prising China, the US and India. But this will be an uneasy strategic triangle.
India is the most credible regional naval power in the IOR and China is seeking
to establish the same profile in the western Pacific. This however is contested
by neighbors, including Japan and some of the ASEAN nations such as Vietnam.
The US has a visible naval presence in the Indo-Pacific and the re-arrangement o
f naval assets, (aka the Obama pivot) to better manage the emergence of China as
an assertive naval power, is the current naval dynamic in the region.

How will the prevailing US led status quo in the maritime domain play out in the
near future? This is often reiterated as respect for international law
most recen
tly reiterated by Delhi during the visit of Vice President Hamid Ansari to ASEAN
.
Will a China-Russia strategic closeness (but not quite an alliance) acquire a ma
ritime or naval texture? And will this influence the current imbroglio in the So
uth China Sea?
This unstated sub-text at the IFR, and for India, the presence of the major powe
rs, has complex policy relevance. The growth of the IN to the profile it has cur
rently acquired, such as underwater nuclear propulsion has been enabled to a lar
ge extent by Moscow. Against this backdrop, what kind of a naval partnership can
Delhi envisage with the US that will be politically and fiscally affordable and
equitable?
For Washington, the abiding post Cold War conundrum is, what kind of an Indian N
avy will be in the long term interest of the US? By extension, the US, China and
India will have to work towards an acceptable index of strategic equipoise in t
he maritime domain that will not disrupt their geo-economic trajectory.
South Block will
leaves astutely,
ave to face will
clear deterrence

have to acquire the institutional competence to read these teaeven as the bandwidth of maritime challenges that the IN will h
perforce encompass Mumbai 2008 to the evolving compulsion of nu
at sea.