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India takes on ocean-cop role, tests China
SUJAN DUTTA
New Delhi, Oct. 12: New Delhi today practically arrogated to itself policing rights in the Indian Ocean Region with defence minister A.K. Antony claiming it will give security cover to island nations.
The defence minister said the Indian Navy has been mandated to be a net security provider to island nations in the Indian Ocean region.
Such a claim is expected to rile China, most of all, and may even be objected to by other neighbours. The defence minister did not state which country (or countries) and which multilateral forum had given the Indian Navy the mandate.
The claim has come at a time when the Vietnamese President, Truong Tan Sang, is in India. In July this year, an Indian naval assault ship, the Airavat, was questioned by the Chinese in the South China Sea when it was sailing from one Vietnamese port to another. China claims almost all of the South China Sea and is involved in disputes over its waters with five nations.
Antony was giving a speech at the navy commanders conference that was open only to senior officials. The defence ministry put out a media release and a copy of the speech was also made available.
India has been in talks, and has given patrolling and surveillance assistance, to countries such as the Seychelles, Mauritius, Maldives and Sri Lanka. The Indian Navy is also engaged in counter-piracy patrols with some of these countries. But it has never before claimed that it has the authority to patrol their waters.
The official release also said that the defence minister today assured Indias maritime neighbours of the countrys unstinted support for their security and economic prosperity. It did not specify which of Indias maritime neighbours, if any, had sought such an assurance.
Most of the major international shipping lanes are located along our island territories. This bestows on us the ability to be a potent and stabilising force in the region, the defence minister was quoted as having told the senior officers of the navy and the defence ministry.
Hawkish Indian strategists suspect China of adopting a string of pearls tactic surrounding India with a network of island nations as real or imagined bases. There are also voices in China that India is seeking to consolidate its hold in the Indian Ocean through which much of Chinas and the worlds supplies of oil sail from West Asia and Africa.
The defence minister said the Indian Navy was benefiting from exercises in the South China Sea, East China Sea and the Western Pacific but asked the commanders to be attentive to the demands of patrolling Indias coastal waters.
Although reaching out to our extended neighbourhood is important, you must always be mindful of the core area of your responsibility that mainly includes preserving and strengthening our shore lines and coastal security, he said.
Antony also said after opening the naval commanders conference that New Delhi has conveyed its concerns to Beijing on the presence of Chinese troops in ***************** Kashmir (***).
Over the last many years, we are consistently developing our own military capabilities so that we can meet any challenge to protect our territory and our sovereignty, he said in answer to questions from the media after stepping out of the conference.
In his speech, Antony said the reinforcement of coastal security should not lead into a feeling of complacency. He acknowledged there were lapses particularly the beaching of stray ships in or near Bombay that highlighted the need to further strengthen our coastlines and maritime security. He asked the navy to carry out frequent exercises with all coastal states and agencies.
Among others at the conference were the chief of naval staff Admiral Nirmal Verma, defence secretary Shashikant Sharma and the Flag Officers-Commanding in Chief of all the naval commands.
SUJAN DUTTA
New Delhi, Oct. 12: New Delhi today practically arrogated to itself policing rights in the Indian Ocean Region with defence minister A.K. Antony claiming it will give security cover to island nations.
The defence minister said the Indian Navy has been mandated to be a net security provider to island nations in the Indian Ocean region.
Such a claim is expected to rile China, most of all, and may even be objected to by other neighbours. The defence minister did not state which country (or countries) and which multilateral forum had given the Indian Navy the mandate.
The claim has come at a time when the Vietnamese President, Truong Tan Sang, is in India. In July this year, an Indian naval assault ship, the Airavat, was questioned by the Chinese in the South China Sea when it was sailing from one Vietnamese port to another. China claims almost all of the South China Sea and is involved in disputes over its waters with five nations.
Antony was giving a speech at the navy commanders conference that was open only to senior officials. The defence ministry put out a media release and a copy of the speech was also made available.
India has been in talks, and has given patrolling and surveillance assistance, to countries such as the Seychelles, Mauritius, Maldives and Sri Lanka. The Indian Navy is also engaged in counter-piracy patrols with some of these countries. But it has never before claimed that it has the authority to patrol their waters.
The official release also said that the defence minister today assured Indias maritime neighbours of the countrys unstinted support for their security and economic prosperity. It did not specify which of Indias maritime neighbours, if any, had sought such an assurance.
Most of the major international shipping lanes are located along our island territories. This bestows on us the ability to be a potent and stabilising force in the region, the defence minister was quoted as having told the senior officers of the navy and the defence ministry.
Hawkish Indian strategists suspect China of adopting a string of pearls tactic surrounding India with a network of island nations as real or imagined bases. There are also voices in China that India is seeking to consolidate its hold in the Indian Ocean through which much of Chinas and the worlds supplies of oil sail from West Asia and Africa.
The defence minister said the Indian Navy was benefiting from exercises in the South China Sea, East China Sea and the Western Pacific but asked the commanders to be attentive to the demands of patrolling Indias coastal waters.
Although reaching out to our extended neighbourhood is important, you must always be mindful of the core area of your responsibility that mainly includes preserving and strengthening our shore lines and coastal security, he said.
Antony also said after opening the naval commanders conference that New Delhi has conveyed its concerns to Beijing on the presence of Chinese troops in ***************** Kashmir (***).
Over the last many years, we are consistently developing our own military capabilities so that we can meet any challenge to protect our territory and our sovereignty, he said in answer to questions from the media after stepping out of the conference.
In his speech, Antony said the reinforcement of coastal security should not lead into a feeling of complacency. He acknowledged there were lapses particularly the beaching of stray ships in or near Bombay that highlighted the need to further strengthen our coastlines and maritime security. He asked the navy to carry out frequent exercises with all coastal states and agencies.
Among others at the conference were the chief of naval staff Admiral Nirmal Verma, defence secretary Shashikant Sharma and the Flag Officers-Commanding in Chief of all the naval commands.
