Enhancing interoperability and capacity building: cooperative approach of the Indian Navy

ABSTRACT

India perceives itself as a net security provider and a balancer of power in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). This has resulted in the emergence of the Indian Navy (IN) as an important actor in the implementation of India’s foreign policy that embraces a holistic approach towards maritime security cooperation and capacity building. Having overcome its Cold War era isolationistic profile, the IN has expanded its maritime outreach in the IOR and beyond the region. Given that India is perceived as a benign power this has proved to be a strategic advantage in favor of India. The prime driver of increasing role of IN is to counter Chinese moves in the IOR following New Delhi’s discomfort and apprehension with China. To address this, the IN has been conducting regular joint exercises for enhancing interoperability, largesse towards weapon inventory, port visits and coordinated patrols, and assistance. In addition, the IN follows a cooperative approach for sharing of security-related technology. In this manner, the IN has successfully furthered India’s foreign policy objectives while achieving its maritime and strategic aims.

KEYWORDS:

• Interoperability
• capacity building
• Indian Navy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Dr P. K. Ghosh Ph.D. is currently a Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. He has been the former Co-Chair and India Representative to two consecutive CSCAP international Study Groups on Maritime Security. He was the convenor of the Indian maritime initiative IONS 2008 that he helped in conceiving from scratch.

Notes

1. LEMOA is the only one of the three Foundational Agreements which has been agreed to by India. (The other two are known as CISMoA and BECA.) For a detailed treatment see P K Ghosh, ‘Are Technical Defence Agreements with US Beneficial for India ?’ Retrieved April 28, 2016, from http://www.orfonline.org/expert-speaks/are-technical-defence-agreements-with-us-beneficial-for-india/

2. Under the leadership of Prime Minster Modi, India's earlier ‘Look East’ policy has morphed into a proactive Act East policy, which envisages accelerated across-the-board engagement with ASEAN countries. It was however the Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj who had proposed terming the new outlook as Act East policy in the line of Look East policy which was introduced during the government of Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao but seriously implemented during the successive administrations of A. B. Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh

3. Construction of the deep-sea harbor commenced on 15 January 2008 by China Harbour Engineering Company and Sinohydro Corporation. The cost of the first phase is around $360 million with a budget of $76.5 million for the bunker terminal. The planned second phase includes a container terminal and is in progress at the time of writing.

4. Search and Rescue Region (SRR). An area of defined dimensions recognized by International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) or other cognizant international body and associated with a Rescue Co-ordination Centre, within which SAR services are provided.