India snubs US on Asia-Pacific rebalancing

First time reacting on the US rebalancing strategy whereby it will deploy 60 percent of its naval assets in the Asia-Pacific Region and wants India to play a more proactive role in the region, Indian Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma on Tuesday said that its primary area of concern was only the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

 

 

In his last press conference, the Navy Chief went on to add that the stakeholders in the South China Sea – both the littoral countries and the global power – are expected to behave “maturely”.

“It is a major policy statement by the US. From our own prospective our primary area of responsibility is from Malacca Strait in the East to the Gulf of Aden and Cape of Good Hope in the west,” Verma said in response to a query if the Indian security establishment has taken cognizance of the new rebalancing strategy by the US.

Even though the US has been maintaining that the strategy does not aim at any one country, but analysts find that the superpower is trying to contain the rise of a more assertive China. The US has repeatedly shown keen interest to help modernize Indian military to enable it to play more ‘important role’ in the region, a euphemism for providing a counterweight to Chinese hegemony in the region.

“South China Sea and Pacific region are important for global powers. But as far as the Indian Navy is concerned active deployment in the region is not on the card,” Verma added.

Explaining it more, the Indian Navy Chief on his last press conference before superannuating on August 31 said: “Our primary area is entirely different. First I have to fulfill this responsibility and then only will I be able to look beyond it.”

South China Sea has received global attention in the recent times with China being involved in territorial disputes with littoral countries like Vietnam and Philippines in the region. The region assumes a greater significance in the international maritime trade.

“Littoral players in the region are conscious what will happen if conflict occurs in the region. It is the larger responsibility of the stakeholders. I do expect that certain level of maturity will be displayed. Hopefully it (the situation) does not precipitate any further,” said Verma.

The US on the other has been maintaining that it has significant security interests in the Asia-Pacific region with lot of allies and partners in the region. In follow up the announcement of the policy, the US sent its Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to India. However, India so far had refrained to comment on it.

Navy gets approval for acquisition worth Rs 2.73 lakh crore

"Over the past three years the Indian Navy has made very significant progress towards capability accretion and this, is as intended to be, in consonance with a conceived vision and plan.  The past three years have seen the publication of three major documents – the Maritime Capabilities Perspective Plan 2012-27, the XII Plan document and the XII Infrastructure Plan document. During XI Plan period, which concluded on 31 Mar this year close to 200 Acceptances of Necessity (AoNs) with a total value of Rs 2,73,070 crores were obtained. Of these, 161 contracts with a total value of Rs 92,069 crores have been concluded.

A record number of 15 ships have been commissioned into the Navy over the past three years, which include the three Shivalik class stealth frigates – Shivalik, Satpura and Sahyadri – two fleet tankers, Deepak and Shakti, one follow-on 1135.6 class stealth frigate, INS Teg, the sail training ship, Sudarshini, and eight water-jet FACs. Commissioning of  the nuclear attack submarine INS Chakra on 23rd Jan this year was a momentous occasion, as we are now part of a select group of six nations that operate SSNs. Chakra has added considerable punch to our maritime power and will aid in developing future concepts of naval operations in this very critical sphere. You are aware that the Arihant is steadily progressing towards its operationalisation, and we hope to commence sea trials in the coming months.  Given our unequivocal “no-first-use commitment” a retaliatory strike capability that is credible and invulnerable is an imperative.  The Indian Navy is poised to complete the triad, and our maritime and nuclear doctrines will then be aligned to ensure that our nuclear insurance comes from the sea. 

Our indigenous warship building program is poised to touch new heights with 43 warships currently under construction in our shipyards. These include the indigenous aircraft carrier, destroyers, corvettes and submarines. Three ships of Project 15A, which are follow-ons of the existing Delhi Class destroyers, with improved stealth features and weapon and sensor fit are scheduled for induction commencing early next year. A contract has also been signed with M/s MDL for four more P 15B destroyers, which will follow the P15A ships. Four Anti Submarine Warfare Corvettes, being built at GRSE, Kolkata, are the first stealth corvettes designed and built indigenously as specialised anti-submarine warfare (ASW) surface combatants. The first ship is scheduled to be inducted early next year and the others will follow at a yearly interval. 

In order to augment our offshore patrolling capability, four offshore patrol vessels are under construction at Goa Shipyard Limited. The ships are scheduled for induction from the end of this year onwards. Five other offshore patrol vessels will be built at a private Shipyard. These ships, along with two cadet training ships under construction at another private Shipyard, are the first warship orders ever given to private shipyards since our independence. Eight new, upgraded landing craft are also under construction at GRSE, Kolkata and will augment the force levels in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. These ships will replace the old Landing Craft Utility or LCUs, which are in the process of being phased out.

Our survey ships and hydrographers are a valuable part of the Navy and are much in demand amongst a variety of littoral states in the Indian Ocean Region. To augment their force levels, six new catamaran hull Survey vessels are being built by M/s Alcock Ashdown Gujarat Ltd, at Bhavnagar. The first ship is undergoing sea trials and is scheduled to be commissioned later this year. The construction of Scorpene submarines under Project 75 is underway and MDL and the Department of Defence Production maintain that the first submarine is likely to be commissioned in 2015 and the sixth submarine by 2018. 

In addition to the 46 ships under construction, Acceptance of Necessity for 49 more ships and submarines has been obtained. These include seven more follow-on ships of the Shivalik Class, under Project 17-A, which are to be built at both MDL, Mumbai and GRSE, Kolkata and we are working towards contract conclusion in the current financial year. Contracts for four water-jet FACs, to be built at GRSE, Kolkata, one more training ship, to be built at a private shipyard and two mine hunters to be built in South Korea are likely to be concluded during the current financial year.  Six more mine hunters will be subsequently built at Goa Shipyard under ToT. Options for the Deep Submergence and Rescue vessel (DSRV) are presently undergoing technical evaluation.  In addition, approval for construction of six submarines under Project -75(I) is at the final stages of approval. Requests for Proposals in respect of four LPDs, 16 shallow water ASW ships – the order being split between two shipyards, one survey training vessel and two diving support vessels will also be issued in the coming months.

The Indian Navy’s preferred choice of inducting ships and submarines has always been through the indigenous route. Today, of the 46 ships and submarines presently on order, 43 are from Indian shipyards. The intended induction programme is structured to continue at a pace such that over the next five years we expect to induct ships and submarines at an average rate of 5 platforms per year provided the yards deliver as per contracted timelines.  At the same time it would be amiss if I did not emphasize the need for our public and private sector shipyards to scale up their capabilities to deliver state-of-the-art warships that meet our future needs in time frames that match global standards.  To offer a perspective, the global average for building a ship similar to a Delhi Class is about 36 months, that too with a stringent cap on man days. These are the standards that our shipyards must emulate so as to contain costs of ship building. This would result in higher productivity and capacity utilisation. The provisions of the Defence Procurement Procedures to ‘Buy and Make Indian’ must be adopted to synergize capabilities and implement leapfrogging technologies. The Navy’s forthcoming LPD programme is a unique opportunity in this context.  

There are three ships are under construction in Russia. These include two more ships of the follow-on Talwar class, being built at Yantar Shipyard in Kalingrad, with one scheduled for induction later this year and the other next year. The third ship, of course, is the Vikramaditya, which is currently undergoing sea trials. On the 28th of last month the aviation trials involving the operations of the Mig 29 K from the deck of that ship commenced.  Machinery trials are also well underway. As you may appreciate, there is hectic work underway here in India, to receive the ship with all the infrastructure support that would be required to be provided to the aircraft carrier.

On the aviation front too, progress has been a source of satisfaction. The Navy’s aviation assets are being modernised and augmented in consonance with the long term vision of the Navy. In order to maintain effective vigil and surveillance in our area of interest, eight of the world’s most advanced, state-of-the-art P-8I Poseidon, long-range maritime patrol aircraft are due to be inducted commencing early 2013. In addition, eight Medium Range Maritime Reconnaissance (MRMR) aircraft are also planned for induction. Procurement of additional Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is being progressed to further augment our surveillance and reconnaissance capability at sea. 

I have already mentioned about the most significant aviation acquisition over the past three years - the carrier borne MiG-29K fighters. These aircraft will significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s strike capability. The first batch has already been inducted and delivery of aircraft from the follow-on contract will commence later this year. 

The rotary wing assets of the Navy are also being upgraded to induct state-of-the-art weapons, sensors and avionics. These include upgradation of the Kamov 28 and Sea King 42B.  The new inductions amongst the helicopters include the Multi-role Helicopters (MRH) for fleet ships. In addition, the Naval Utility Helicopter is also planned for induction by 2016 and the Request for Proposal should get issued any time now.   

In sum, the modernization of the Indian Navy is firmly on track. This has been possible as the Navy has ensured 100% outgo of its capital budget over the past three years, and today our Capital to Revenue ratio stands at a very healthy ratio of 68:32."

Terrorism at sea is a reality: Navy Chief

On Laskar-e-Toiba activating its sea wing as revealed by Abu Jundal, Indian Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said: "We had always assumed this will happen. We have already factored in this in our training." 

 

"It is imperative that we recognize the new challenges emerging out of the prevalent uncertain environment and adopt a strategy to address the changing nature of conflict. Besides conventional challenges and geopolitical forces, terrorism from the sea and terrorism at sea are now realities of our times.  In our external environment one of our core concerns is the coalescing of the ‘State’ with ‘non-State’ entities; both of which, individually, in collaboration or as hybrid create a high degree of uncertainty.  Our maritime strategy intends to ensure that there is no schism between the challenges that we face and our capabilities to respond to them. There will always remain uncertainties and adversaries but on our part it is intended to ensure that the levels of asymmetry are never such that they encourage adventurism. 

Piracy down from 38 % in 2008 to 11 % in 2011: Navy Chief

This is what Admiral Nirmal Verma had to say about piracy during his last press conference as  Navy Chief 

"Getting back to the challenges of the changing operating environment; with respect to piracy, we have to a significant extent, arrested this plague.  We have had at least one ship continuously deployed, off the Gulf of Aden, since October 2008.  Over 2100 merchantmen have been escorted by Indian Navy ships and 40 piracy attempts have been averted. Along with the sustained efforts of various navies and the shipping community, the success rate of piracy has dropped from 38% in 2008 to approx 11% till 2011 and even further in 2012.   It may surprise some to know that our anti-piracy operations have thus far been coordinated tri-laterally with the Chinese and Japanese and in the near future this initiative could include the South Korean navy. Such are the opportunities in the maritime environment.

  

In 2009-10 the scourge of piracy had spread to the East Arabian Sea at times beyond 1000 nautical miles from the Horn of Africa and closer to our waters. The Indian Navy has had a somewhat different and I dare say rather proactive approach towards combating piracy.  Proactive and effective action by Indian Navy and Coast Guard ships and aircraft resulted in the neutralization of all pirate ships operating in the region. I am happy to state that over the past year, there has not been a single incident of piracy within 300 nautical miles of our island territories on the West coast. The maritime environment is complex and  this proactive action has had some unintended consequences. As a result of the relative safety of our waters from piracy, there has consequently been a discernible shift in the International Shipping Lines (ISLs).  International shipping is now passing closer to the Indian coast due to the protection provided by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. This has resulted in an unfortunate incident of mistaken identity which resulted in the loss of innocent lives of our fishermen, such are the dangers and challenges which require to be addressed." 

India, China inch closer on maritime security issue

In the face of overlapping strategic interests in the Indian Ocean Region and South China Sea, India and China on Thursday inched forward on the issue of maritime cooperation as both sides agreed to set up groups to facilitate exchange of information pertaining to maritime trade and security so that the competition does not escalate into a full-blown conflict.

Last year, the aggressive People’s Liberation Army (PLA)-Navy’s stance towards an Indian naval warship passing through South China Sea after giving visiting Vietnam, prompted both countries to put in place a maritime protocol to avoid skirmishes in high seas, something on the lines of arrangement between the US and the USSR during the peak of Cold War.

“India would set up an inter-ministerial group on its side while China would have an official team that would periodically exchange view of maritime issues relating to trade and security,” officials said. The decision was taken during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s talks with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the Rio+2- summit at Rio de Janeiro.

Calling for a de-escalatory mechanism in case of any “misunderstandings”, Indian Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma had said in December 2011 that such a “maritime protocol” was “under examination” by the government.  India already has an arrangement with China to deal with incidents at the 4,057 km-long land border, be it the intrusions of patrol parties with the latter, when border personnel hold talks at the local unit levels.

In 2011 amphibious assault Ship INS Airavat sailing at South China Sea had been threatened over the radio by a person identifying the area as Chinese territory and asking the Indian warship to back off. Earlier in 2009, China claimed its warships had forced an Indian submarine to surface after it was allegedly found tracking the movement of the Chinese ships in the Indian Ocean when these were on their way to join the anti-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden. 

India was also doing oil exploration in the South China Sea after purchasing the rights from Vietnam in a region claimed by China. Moreover, the increasing trade volume of China passing through Indian Ocean Region has translated into Beijing deploying more assets in the region to ensure security of its Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs). This perpetual alignment of trade interests has made Indian and Chinese navies to join hands in the Gulf of Aden to counter the menace of piracy.

Breaking : Vice Admiral D K Joshi designated as next Indian Navy Chief

Vice Admiral D K Joshi was designated as Indian Navy Chief. He will take over from incumbent Admiral Nirmal Verma on August 31.

Vice Admiral Joshi is presently heading Mumbai-based Western Naval Command. He has also headed Andaman and Nicobar tri-service command.

Update-

Statement issued by Ministry of Defence

The Government has appointed Vice Admiral DK Joshi, presently Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) Western Naval Command, as the next Chief of the Naval Staff with effect from afternoon of August 31, 2012. The present Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral NK Verma retires from service on Aug 31, 2012.

Born on July 04, 1954 Vice Admiral Joshi was commissioned on April 01, 1974 in the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy.

During his long and distinguished Service spanning nearly 38 years, he has served in a variety of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments. Vice Admiral Joshi's Sea Command includes Guided Missile Corvette Kuthar, Guided Missile destroyer Ranvir and the Aircraft Carrier Viraat. Before taking over as FOC-in-C Western Naval Command, he has served as the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Commander- in-Chief of A&N Command (CINCAN) and the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC).

Vice Admiral Joshi is a distinguished graduate of the Naval War College, USA, an alumnus of the College of Naval Warfare, Mumbai and the prestigious National Defence College, New Delhi. He was Defence Advisor in the Indian High Commission at Singapore from 1996 to 1999.

Vice Admiral Joshi has been decorated with Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM), Yudh Seva Medal (YSM), Nau Sena Medal (NM) and Vishist Seva Medal (VSM). He is one of the Honorary ADCs of the Supreme Commander.

He is married to Mrs. Chitra Joshi and the couple have two daughters.