Assessing Navy's Potentials

What is the issue?

The evolving geopolitical scenario demands an assessment of India's strengths and weaknesses in the sea to take appropriate measures.

What are the recent developments?

• India’s security interests are becoming increasingly focused on the sea.
• In the context of possible adversaries, the Indian Navy is prepared to respond immediately to any misadventures by Pakistan.
• This includes incidents of the type that took place in the 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai through the coastal route.
• The meeting with ASEAN leaders and the recent one with French president, all had maritime security highest on the agenda.
• Indian Ocean Region (IOR) taking centre-stage in these, reflects its increasing importance in the global arena.
• The activities of Chinese naval units in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) are closely watched by the Navy.
• In the South China Sea (SCS), due to proximity and numbers, the Chinese are obviously better placed.
• The Indian Navy had increased its deployments in the Indo-Pacific.

What are the strengths?

• China's ventures into the IOR are well known.
• Nevertheless, India's ability to locate and track its ships and submarines in these waters is also quite substantial.
• The dozens of airfields on the two coasts and in southern India facilitates largest surveillance and attack aircraft operation.
• Added to this are the airfields in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and reconnaissance satellites.
• These together can allow India to keep the northern Indian Ocean under watch.
• Besides, interfaces with countries like Oman, Seychelles and France further extend this reach.
• Our ability to deal with Chinese energy lifelines is not something that can be ignored.
• Both operationally and logistically, the Chinese will be hard put to match India in the IOR.
• But, investment in the navy largely decides the worth of these several advantages.

What are the challenges and weaknesses?

• Budget allocations - There is an increasing interface with the US, Japan and Australia and enhancement of security interests.
• But these are not reflected in defence budget allocations.
• For the military to modernise in keeping with the challenges faced, resources are needed.
• The defence budget falls well short of what is needed.
• Strategy - Budget allocations are weak because of the inability to crystallise a holistic national security strategy.
• A strategy to identify what our interests are and how they can be best safeguarded or enhanced has to be devised.
• Pakistan - At sea, India is superior over the Pakistan.
• But, vigilance along the long coastline is important.
• Submarines - The Navy is ahead of the other two services in Make in India.
• But the submarine scenario is worrying with poor availability.
• The first Scorpene submarine built at Mazagon Docks is delivered after a delay of several years.
• However, the total number of submarines stands at just over a dozen; but all are more than 20 years old.
• Some have undergone modernisation but that does not equip them for current needs.
• Delays - The plan to continue beyond the Scorpenes and the urgently needed replacements for multi-role helicopters continue to languish.
• The decision-making process is slow and no improvement has been visible in the past four years.

What is the way forward?

• Allocation - Its existing 15% share of the budget is not encouraging for the Navy.
• But reality is that any great enhancement in allocation to meet all the requirements is just not possible, given the competing needs.
• There is no option but to operate within this constraint.
• Revamp - So it calls for several of its segments to be revisited to have a modern military of the type that India needs.
• Deadwood, especially manpower, should be identified and eliminated.
• Similarly, the Air Force needs more resources and the Army needs to revisits its present strength.
• Army notably operates with nearly 68% of its equipment being old and only 8% of it suited to the needs of today.
• Political will - Every year, services go before parliamentary committees and complain about their inadequacies.
• There is thus the need for strong political will at the highest level.
• This is extremely essential to have the security concerns reviewed critically.

Source: Business Standard