ebungo
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India neither wants to be the regional cop or `headmaster' in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), nor be a part of any multi-lateral
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security cooperation axis seeking to `contain' China. Instead, it just wants to further bolster its `friendship across the seas' to cover the entire Asia-Pacific region.
This, at least, is the public stand, given that prickly China is always quick to take umbrage over any grouping of foreign navies that takes place in the region. Beijing, for instance, had lodged a strong protest against the 13th Indo-US Malabar naval wargames in the Bay of Bengal in September 2007 after they were expanded to include the Australian, Japanese and Singapore navies as well.
Speaking at the multi-lateral `Milan' exercise and conclave at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands archipelago on Friday, Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said the endeavour should not be viewed as a `security bloc' against China.
"The very theme of Milan is more about coming together in a constructive manner to tackle man-made disasters (read terrorism and piracy) and natural disasters... I do not think such suspicions (on part of China) should exist,'' said Admiral Verma.
The seventh edition of Milan, the largest so far, has warships and delegations from a dozen countries, ranging from Australia, New Zealand, Philippines and Thailand to Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
Asked about Pentagon's latest quadrennial defence review, which visualizes India's role in Asia as "a net provider of security in the Indian Ocean and beyond'', even as it expressed concern over China's military development, the Navy chief said, "India has no intention of playing a headmaster's role in IOR.''
"But we would like to share and initiate processes since there are common things which affect us like piracy in the Gulf of Aden. Milan is actually about navies coming together on areas of convergence,'' he added.
The fact, however, remains that US, India and several Asia-Pacific countries eye the rapid modernization of China's 2.5-million strong People's Liberation Army, with special focus on strategic transborder and maritime military capabilities as well as anti-satellite and cyber-warfare capabilities, with a great deal of suspicion and concern.
China's military asymmetry with India is especially stark. To India's 16 diesel-electric submarines, for instance, China has 52 conventional and 10 nuclear-powered submarines. At least three of them are armed with long-range nuclear missiles.
Moreover, China has been assiduously making strategic moves in the IOR by forging links with eastern Africa, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia and the like. While China certainly needs to secure its energy sea lanes, it also amounts to a virtual strategic encirclement of India.
Asked about PLA's rapid modernization, Admiral Verma said, "Our Navy's plans are made taking into account what is happening in the region and are not specific to any one country. Yes, we have to build our force-levels as deterrence and we are keen that we do it faster.''
Given China's sensitivities, the UPA government has decided that the Malabar exercise with the US, after the 2007 experience, will be purely bilateral ones for some time to come.
Consequently, the Malabar wargames on the west coast this April-May will see the US fielding just four-five destroyers/frigates, a nuclear submarine and some maritime patrol aircraft, which will match their combat skills against a similar number of Indian warships.
http:///timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-doesnt-want-to-headmaster-of-Indian-Ocean-Region-Navy-chief/articleshow/5540327.cms#
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Email Print Save Comment
security cooperation axis seeking to `contain' China. Instead, it just wants to further bolster its `friendship across the seas' to cover the entire Asia-Pacific region.
This, at least, is the public stand, given that prickly China is always quick to take umbrage over any grouping of foreign navies that takes place in the region. Beijing, for instance, had lodged a strong protest against the 13th Indo-US Malabar naval wargames in the Bay of Bengal in September 2007 after they were expanded to include the Australian, Japanese and Singapore navies as well.
Speaking at the multi-lateral `Milan' exercise and conclave at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands archipelago on Friday, Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said the endeavour should not be viewed as a `security bloc' against China.
"The very theme of Milan is more about coming together in a constructive manner to tackle man-made disasters (read terrorism and piracy) and natural disasters... I do not think such suspicions (on part of China) should exist,'' said Admiral Verma.
The seventh edition of Milan, the largest so far, has warships and delegations from a dozen countries, ranging from Australia, New Zealand, Philippines and Thailand to Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
Asked about Pentagon's latest quadrennial defence review, which visualizes India's role in Asia as "a net provider of security in the Indian Ocean and beyond'', even as it expressed concern over China's military development, the Navy chief said, "India has no intention of playing a headmaster's role in IOR.''
"But we would like to share and initiate processes since there are common things which affect us like piracy in the Gulf of Aden. Milan is actually about navies coming together on areas of convergence,'' he added.
The fact, however, remains that US, India and several Asia-Pacific countries eye the rapid modernization of China's 2.5-million strong People's Liberation Army, with special focus on strategic transborder and maritime military capabilities as well as anti-satellite and cyber-warfare capabilities, with a great deal of suspicion and concern.
China's military asymmetry with India is especially stark. To India's 16 diesel-electric submarines, for instance, China has 52 conventional and 10 nuclear-powered submarines. At least three of them are armed with long-range nuclear missiles.
Moreover, China has been assiduously making strategic moves in the IOR by forging links with eastern Africa, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia and the like. While China certainly needs to secure its energy sea lanes, it also amounts to a virtual strategic encirclement of India.
Asked about PLA's rapid modernization, Admiral Verma said, "Our Navy's plans are made taking into account what is happening in the region and are not specific to any one country. Yes, we have to build our force-levels as deterrence and we are keen that we do it faster.''
Given China's sensitivities, the UPA government has decided that the Malabar exercise with the US, after the 2007 experience, will be purely bilateral ones for some time to come.
Consequently, the Malabar wargames on the west coast this April-May will see the US fielding just four-five destroyers/frigates, a nuclear submarine and some maritime patrol aircraft, which will match their combat skills against a similar number of Indian warships.
http:///timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-doesnt-want-to-headmaster-of-Indian-Ocean-Region-Navy-chief/articleshow/5540327.cms#
