New Delhi: The Senior commanders of the Navy will next week review India’s maritime security and operational preparedness, especially in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) where there is expansion of the two countries China-Pakistan acting secretly, even as their force is now conducting its first trilateral exercise with Tanzania and Mozambique off the east African coast.
The naval commanders’ conference will be held from, from October 31 to November 3, and will dwell upon “the dynamics of the geostrategic situation” in the IOR and the larger Indo-Pacific and the Navy’s readiness to deal with the same”, among other matters, officials said on Saturday.
The conference comes in the backdrop of Navy chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar’s recent statement that “China remains a formidable challenge and has increased its presence, not only along our land borders, but also in the maritime domain by leveraging anti-piracy operations to normalize its naval presence” in the IOR.
China has the world’s largest Navy with 355 warships and submarines. The country has steadily expanded its naval presence in the IOR in recent years. Then, after fighters, missiles and other military hardware and software, China is presently also supplying Pakistan with four advanced frigates and eight Yuan-class diesel-electric submarines with air- independent propulsion (AIP) for greater underwater endurance.
On Saturday, the Indian Navy said it was focused on being “a combat ready, credible and cohesive force with a future-ready outlook”, and has witnessed significant growth in its operational tasking over the years.
“The Navy’s standing as the ‘preferred security partner’ in the IOR has also grown simultaneously. The force is ready to counter all maritime security challenges emerging due to uncertain geo- strategic situations in IOR and beyond,” Naval Spokesperson Commander Mr. Vivek Madhwal said.
In line with the overall policy to also step up the military outreach to Africa, a continent where China has made huge strategic inroads, the edition of India-Mozambique-Tanzania trilateral exercise is now being held off Dar es Salaam.
India is taking part in the exercise with guided missile frigate INS Tarkash, a Chetak helicopter and elite marine commandos (MARCOS). “The exercise has three broad objectives: capability development to address common threats through training and sharing of best practices, enhancing interoperability, and strengthening maritime cooperation,” Commander Madhwal said.
“The exercise reflects India’s commitment to enhancing maritime security and cooperation with maritime neighbors in the IOR and promoting SAGAR (safety and growth for all in the region),” he added.
The exercise comes soon after the India-Africa Defence Dialogue, on the sidelines of the DefExpo in Gandhinagar, resolved to explore new areas of convergence for defence engagements, including capacity building, training, cyber security, maritime security and counterterrorism.
