There is no other country in the world so STRATEGICALLY placed that the name of an ocean has been named after it - THE INDIAN OCEAN. Right at the top of the Ocean sits INDIA & is the largest country of the region with most powerful military especially the NAVY. These condition make India the IDEAL nation to rule the Indian Ocean, but the question is can it rule the Ocean & the region through it's military might?
Indian Navy is the FIFTH LARGEST NAVY in the world. It is one of the few navies which regularly operates carrier battle groups & currently operating TWO of them - INS VIKRAMADITYA & INS VIRAAT. INS Vikramaditya, the 45,000 tones flagship of Indian Navy, is the largest of any regional ship & with around 30 Mig 29k fourth generation fighters, it is a force to recon with. Currently, there are 48 ships under construction in Indian shipyards - frigates, destroyers, submarines, corvettes, aircraft carrier among others. This will ensure that the future Indian Navy is more powerful, more efficient & more of a threat in the eye of the enemies & other regional/world powers.
But the sailing wouldn't be SMOOTH. There are powers who won't like an Indian rise in it's own backyard. For them Indian Ocean is not an INDIAN LAKE where India has the authority. Some of them are:
- USA - The Sole SUPERPOWER of the world with the largest military budget. US only likes it's rule over every part of the globe & Indian Ocean is no different. Being an important sea highway for trade between east & European nations, US would certainly like it's control over it. With a base in Diago Garcia, it has ensured considerable presence in this very strategic region. US will always try to undermine Indian presence in IOR & will never accept it's DOMINANCE.
- China - Another important player is fast emerging China. Though not sharing any border with Indian Ocean, it has lot at stakes in the region with majority of trade (to & fro with Middle East, Africa & Europe) flow through this region. Indian dominance makes China VULNERABLE to blockade & thus harm it economically since it's relationship with India is far from being cordial because of largest border dispute that the two countries share. Both have even fought a short border war in the year 1962. Thus, in the garb of fighting piracy or giving assistance to Pakistan, it has increased it's naval presence in the region. It has also been reported that Chinese NUCLEAR SUBMARINES have increased there presence in the so called "INDIAN BACKYARD".
There are many external players that will thwart any Indian efforts to dominate the region but all is not well at home either. The delay in shipbuilding, weak political will, lethargic Indian bureaucracy & decision making is hurting INDIAN INTERESTS. The only way India can challenge any external player in what it's recognize it's ZONE OF INFLUENCE is by inducing more warships & thus empowering it's Navy. This can ensure that India be in a position to call Indian Ocean as INDIA'S OCEAN!!
******HJ******
At present, India has only 14 submarines, and one of them is leased from Russia. In 1986, the country had 21. China now operates more than 70.
ReplyDeleteSoon after becoming prime minister last May, Modi cancelled a proposal he inherited from the predecessor government to purchase subs made abroad, insisting that the seller produce them under the Buy and Make program. Given India’s urgent needs, the cancellation was probably a mistake, especially in light of the long delays that have already plagued India’s submarine-building programs.
Yet PM Modi knows when to bend the rules. Faced with an urgent need to counter the Chinese air force, Modi agreed this month to purchase 36 French-made Rafale fourth-generation fighter aircraft, foregoing Buy and Make requirements for the large order.If the prime minister can make an exception for out-of-date aircraft, he certainly should do so for state-of-the-art subs.Well i have trust and faith hope things go more better and our PM of Hindustan now take the country's navy to new heights.Jai Hind.