A new stealth frigate and naval base are the latest signs of India’s maritime ambitions. But can India’s Navy become more self-reliant?
Two unrelated but important developments late last month highlighted the strides the Indian Navy is taking against a backdrop of a significant expansion aimed at meeting emerging maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean region.
On April 27, a stealth frigate, the INS Teg, was commissioned in Russia. Three days later, India’s latest naval base, INS Dweeprakshak (Island Protector) was put into operation at Kavaratti in Lakshadweep, a tiny island chain southwest of India’s southernmost tip. Although, India had had a small presence on the strategically important island chain for the past decade, the Navy’s decision to open a permanent base was prompted by nearby recent incidents of piracy. Indeed, the Navy has in recent years captured scores of pirates and foiled several attacks.
“The Indian Navy has been operating a detachment at Kavaratti since the early1980s,” the Navy said in a statement. “With the commissioning of INS Dweeprakshak, the island territories would see calibrated strengthening of assets in step with their growing relevance to the security calculus of the nation. A firmer footing in the islands, which are spread out astride some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, would provide the necessary wherewithal to the Indian Navy to discharge its responsibilities suitably.”
The establishment of the base is in keeping with an announcement made by Chief of Naval Staff Adm. Nirmal Verma at the end of last year, in which he noted that the Navy is also in the process of setting up so-called operational turnaround bases, forward operating bases and naval air enclaves along the coast with a view towards enhancing India’s surveillance efforts in the region.
“In 2011, the Navy has provided a renewed impetus and focus towards creation of operational and administrative infrastructure in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands,” Verma noted in December. “These islands are the country’s strategic outposts and augmentation of the facilities will enhance our reach and enable extended presence in the area.”
But it’s the INS Teg that gathered many of the headlines. The Teg will be followed by two more such stealth ships, to be inducted early next year. The 125 meter frigate displaces 4,000 tons and includes the BrahMos surface-to-surface missile system, a surface-to-air missile system, torpedo tubes and anti-submarine rockets. With its advanced weapons suite and sensors fully integrated with its combat management system, the ship is, in the Navy’s words, “well suited to undertake a broad spectrum of maritime missions.”
The commissioning of the Teg and the opening of a new naval base within days of each other, although technically unrelated, highlight the Indian Navy’s growing footprint in its broader area of influence, and its determination to boost its capabilities – especially in light of the recent stinging criticism of the military’s readiness dished out by the country’s army chief, Gen. V.K. Singh. The development of the Navy is seen as necessary to fulfill two roles: giving the country a blue water capability, while allowing it to effectively counter threats closer to its own shores.
Indeed, with Singh’s comments likely still ringing in lawmakers’ ears, the parliament’s Standing Committee on Defense, a panel with cross-party representation, was also handed a detailed brief by the Defense Ministry at the end of last month, which outlined plans to strengthen India’s naval capabilities.
According to the report, in the short-term, the military is aiming to augment its airborne maritime surveillance, strike and air defense capabilities through: induction of shore-based aircraft, carrier-based aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles; development of anti-submarine warfare capabilities; ensuring the country has adequate capabilities for expeditionary operations to achieve desired power projection force levels; inducting assets and developing suitable infrastructure to augment forces available for low intensity maritime operations and introducing state-of-the-art equipment and specialized platforms for Special Forces to enhance niche capabilities.
What does all this mean, taken together? Given the breadth of these plans, it’s now more than clear that the Indian Navy is in the middle of its most ambitious expansion plan in the past three decades. As I’ve noted before on The Diplomat, the Indian Navy’s planning is increasingly being driven by capabilities rather than numbers – a welcome shift from the old bean counting philosophy that has too often dominated the country’s defense planning.
The Navy also says 50 modern ships are currently on order, the majority of which are being built in Indian shipyards. Apart from two more stealth frigates of the same class as the Teg, and the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya (formerly the Admiral Gorshkov) being re-built and modernized in Russia, all other ships are being built indigenously.
But as encouraging as the focus on indigenous production is, the standing committee has been informed of potential problems ahead. According to reports, the committee was told last month that while Indian shipyards have made considerable progress in building hulls and associated equipment, they still lag in building and manufacturing weapons and sensors.
According to a statement from the committee on the process of indigenization, hull and associated equipment has reached 90 percent self-reliance and indigenization, propulsion machinery such as engine generators has reached 60 percent, and “fighting” components comprising weapons and sensors has hit 30 percent indigenization.
After assuming a relatively low profile over the past two decades, the Indian Navy is now poised to grow rapidly in the coming years. If India wants to realize its desire to become a dominant maritime power in Asia, then it has no choice.
Nitin Gokhale is Defense & Strategic Affairs Editor with Indian broadcaster, NDTV 24×7.
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Lauren Garza
I love reading these posts. Since the real conflict here is what's happening in multiple seas straits and oceans. And what of Diego Garcia?
Major Lowen Gil Marquez, Phil Army
The India navy should have a strong maritime capabilities to protect its national territory and its sovereign interest along the vast Indian Ocean, in the future they can have a military exercise in the Philippines specially in the Western Philippine sea where the good naval maneuver were astonishing for both nation the Philippine and India armed forces.. Scarborough shoal and spratley island in western Philippine sea was a good spot for maritime reconnaissance exercises both for Airforce and Navy..
SmilingBuddha
Dear Marquez,
Thanks for the invitation.Yes,we will as we love Philippines along with Burma,Thailand,Laos,Cambodia,Vietnam and Indonesia.We believe that the ASEAN provides a great platform for joint development and forward momentum towards the future and it has the right to stay its course free of bullying and coercion.We will do our part in providing whatever wee can to ensure that.
Doast
This game is getting old, India keeps playing the ‘don’t worry everybody, even our weapons come from outside’ card meanwhile they keep improving on their icbms and thorium tech.
When will the west wakeup, India is as much a threat as china.
Arjun
I just can’t understand why all the war talks between India and China. You have to ask your self, why would china want to invade india? for the extra population? or for the poverty?maybe they are after the lower education standerds? could it be for the non existant natural resources? these people arn’t stupid they would need a good reason and I cant think of one.
Asoka
China could be after our Superpower status. I know Chinese are very envious of India’s Superpowerdom. They would do anything to take it away from us. India has been the Superpower of the world since the days of Asoka the Great. We have never lost a war in 8,000 years. If China defeated India, she could take the Superpower title from us, like a boxer must defeat the current reigning world champion to be the next world champion. India must train hard day and night in order to defend it’s Superpowerhood from the hungry Chinese.
Sorachart
@India has never lost a war in 8,000 years.
That is funny. What is August 15, 1947? I think it is India's Independence Day.
Dr. Craig Holoboski
During the workup for the 1960 Sino Indian Border War, the Central Committee's Standing Committee discussed the invasion of India and subsequent depolulation and moving millions of Chinese into India. They build a super highway across western China so if they decided to go, they had a land route to move the large armies necessary. When the monsoon fails, China is as Imperialistic as anyone on this Planet.
A Ship Heading For The Rocks
With an economy that has been shrinking for many years which is not unsuprisingly reflected in its weakening rupee, all they can continue to boast is ambitions and further spending on unproductive guns, planes, ships, munitions and soldiers?
Looks like the government will continue to take food and milk away from the mouths of the struggling poor and cause further widening of the already huge chasm in income disparity in Indian society. This government is digging a bigger and bigger hole for its gave.
Expect the Maoists to continue to grow and grow. For that is where India is headng – REVOLUTION! Unbelievably irration, these megalomaniacal ambitions of its upper bourgeoise class.
Tomo
duke chan
To save the World from WW III, please stop buying cheap craps from China. China needs to be weak and contained otherwise, someday China will claim 80% of the world (China does not want Africa because China already took all the natural sources they had in the last 20 years)
Vec
Wake up.The Europeans esp the british have already taken more than half the world and called it USA,Canada,Australia and new Zealand not counting the Spainish and portuguse occupation of S.America.
Luv all things Chinese
I can’t mate!
Chinese products are so good value and easy on the pockets.
Only they can make these everyday products so affordable and the quality is good and in many cases better then the others.
Thank you China for making our lives so much better without most of us having a deep pocket.
mao ketong
nice!
malampaya
World must starts pulling out its businesses in China to stop the “BULLY-CHINESE” behavior… long live India!
Duke Willie
My Nephew wedding commerative items were made in China.
Thank goodness for them,otherwise we will not be able to afford the wedding!
And I dare say,the cup and saucers are of excellent quality.
Only they can supply affordable quality stuffs at prices that people can afford.
So stop being a hypocrite.
I am sure your own house is stuffed choked with these items.
hk
John Chan …. the Autocratic China’s paid proxy
John Chan
@hk,
The impostor “John Chan” has no integrity and smearing other bloggers unrelenting under the supported of the Diplomat because they are losing ground in the debate, yet you are even worse, you only yell meaninglessly.
tsang kay check
yes impostor!
50 cents bridgade
The picture above is actual a Russian made ship. Have you seen the Indian made ship picture. It is now even comparable to the picture above. Why don’t the Indian show some of its own made ship. As with all Indian made hardware it really sucks. For example, the Indian Arjun is a over weight mbt at 65 ton. Its main gun uses an outdated rifle bore. Its Tejas is a 3rd generation jet although the Indian will claimed it as 4.5 generation. My question that if Tejas is 4.5 generation why spend 10 billion to buy another 4.5 Rafale jet as it is known that India economy now is going downhill. Indian rupee is a worthless piece of toilet paper. Its so called nuclear submarine ATV is also another junk. They have to buy Akula sub from the Russian. Even the ATV submarine is actually a blueprint brought from the Russian. On its missile program Bramos, every military buff will tell you that the Bramos is a useless shell with Russian ramjet boaster that boast the missile. Going to the space, India GSLV rocket is a Russian made. The Indian brought that from Russia and yet the rocket boaster crash. Lets face it, it defense minister is right to claim India military is hollow. Like all Indians, they can only make hollow claim.
Asif
Indian hype about India without any base. They are most corrupt and dirty people.
All their technological hype is empty as they get everything from Russia.
They cannot infact withstand against small country Pakistan but they boost themself as future superpower..let they build toilets first before their empty ego.
Girish
I do not know which country you belongs too. But if your are from Pakistan, I am sure you do not suppose to write all this about India.
Everyone citizen boost about their country, so thus Indians. And if your think that Indians are hollow in their claim, then it simply means that the world is fool who is now much eager to disucss about India in all domains and Indians are clever who are now getting attentions on each platfrom in this world without having anything substential.
Growth, hygine, education doesn;t come in a day, specially in a poor country of billion+ people. Even China took 30 years of neck breaking growth to reach this stage. India needs more time to resolve such issues due to its size and scale of problems. Only things which is a matter of significance is that India is a rapidly growing country in all domains i.e Economy, sciense & technology, consumer market, saving, infrastructure, and Soft as well as hard power.
with every passing year, India is only getting more and more important and only fools and igonorance who are toilet paranoid will deny it to justify their foolishness. But such people will always exists and thus not a threat for India.
John Chan
@Girish,
Nobody is threatening India, and India is the superpower. How about India takes half of those money fattening the rich western killing machine manufacturers to build infrastructure and storage for wheat instead of letting million tons of wheat rotten exposed in the south of India, so that the Indian poor can get fed?
vec
Hopefully they can built more toilets and have good health hygiene than bullets and guns for the malnourished population.
Girish
@vew,
* India is building bullets and gun to defend its interest which are expending due to its economy growing with second highest growth rate and in next 10 years, its GDP will left behind all the europesn countries.
* On toilets, India is building them. You need to keep your statistics updated as it is changes quite rapidly.
* Poor and Malnutrition, India is lifting around 10 million people out of poverty per annum. Thus in next 15 years, it will be erradicated. It already have 350 million + middle class people now. You have to look for some other reasons for India bashing after that.
* Hygine, its related to poverty itself.
vec
@Girish
India is bashing itself .opefully in 15 years time no more self bashing assuming it has not balkanise and enclose herein an article from a contributor about India problems
“Telangana, Assam (Independence), AFSPA in India’s North East S
states, South Indians States, Kashmir, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram (Independence), Manipur, Maharashtra & Nagaland; Khalistan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Shimla & Punjab (Sikhs Independence); Hyderabad and Pundicherry (Pakistan),; Jammu and Kashmir, Darjeeling’s Gorkhaland movement, Sikkim, Goa, Naxals & the plight of the Dalits. Dowry deaths, the burning of young Indian brides, one every hour (TOI 1/27/12); 6,400 sub-Caste groups struggling in India (WSJ 12/9/11) Most dangerous place in the World for baby girls is India (TOI 2/1/12), 600 million Indians defecate in the open (TOI 2/7/12)”..
JohnX
50 Cent wrote “The picture above is actual a Russian made ship”
How do you know that? The number on the ship? The style?
I thought the chinese could make exact copies of US goods, so why couldn’t India make the same of Russian?
Or are you part of the Chinese military and have seen this vessel in real life?
sam
Chinese only have slogans
vec
@sam
Because China only have slogans that is why America is borrowing money from China.India should do the same.Borrow money from China.
Girish
Indian Navy current order of war ship is around 50. And out of 50, more then 40 will be build in Indian Shipyards. This is a good statistic for indegenous development of the Indian defence force.
Indian Navy will be operating 2 aircraft carrier battle group from May,2012 with more then 20 years of war as well as peacetime experience on aircraft carriers.
good going India.
Indian Ocean is India’s backyard and India must be a leader in protecting this vital sea lane and protect the right of every nation for freedom of navigation.
John Chan
@Girish
“Indian Ocean is India’s backyard and India must be a leader in protecting this vital sea lane and protect the right of every nation for freedom of navigation.”
Not really. Have you heard this slogan from China “What mine are mine and what yours are also mine”. In other words, we’d like to share the Indian ocean with you. FYI, we use that strategy in the SCS and it works well in China’s favor.
Anjaan
@ John Chan,
You are right. As of now China’s “What mine are mine and what yours are also mine” policy will help massage China’s ego, and India will not do anything to upset that. Beyond that, no one knows where China’s territorial disputes with all its neighbours, and American strategy to clip China’s military ambitions will land it in future.
Soul Speek
@ John Chan Sure, why not? We’d also like to share South China Sea with you :)
John Chan
@Soul Speek,
The impostor “John Chan” has no soul, please think before speak.
Neil
Dear Friend Chan
The whole world is your’s no doubt about it, so long you can hold onto it. You could not even hold onto a miniscule state like Taiwan what sense does it make in shouting slogans. Such actions make you look even more funny.
John Chan
@Neil,
The impostor “John Chan” is showing the fabrication craftwork from the Dick Cheney School of Imperialism here, it is funny to see you got fooled and hopping.
Girish
When we say “Indian ocean as India’s backyard”. It only means that India must lead the responsibility of taking care of the security of this area.
India support free navigation of the sea, unlike China who claim the SCS as their territory (part of country) and consider the right to deny its SCS as their fundamental right.
that is the reason, China is a threat for the region and every move by PLA is considered as a threat where as India is not considered as a threating nation. Chinese aircraft carrier even though PLA has to learn it before using it on high sea, had created too much fuss in the region. Where as India who is going to deploy its second aircraft carrier next year will not be more then just a news.
John Chan
@Girish,
You need to brag to the impostor “John Chan” not China.
John Chan
A “John Chan” impostor posting.
Siddharth
Thus India will apply this slogan and we will continue to explore and drill the SCS.