Is India finally ready to join hands for collective defence?
There has been a good response to PM Modi's keynote speech at Asia security meet in Shangri-La. Security-orientated pacts were signed in the preceding visits to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Others pacts, as mentioned in the article, indicate a collective effort of like-minded countries to defending the maritime space of Indian and Pacific oceans.
Experts point out that: "India is struggling to improve the capacity for doing things outside its borders. There's been some advance but structural challenges remain." This probably refers to delays in overseas projects (eg. in Myanmar, Nepal, Iran, etc), to which was added the Sabang project, sited at the tip of Sumatra, Indonesia. Is India planning a much bigger navy? Military and civilian development of A&N Islands will be a good indicator of intentions.
There has been a good response to PM Modi's keynote speech at Asia security meet in Shangri-La. Security-orientated pacts were signed in the preceding visits to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Others pacts, as mentioned in the article, indicate a collective effort of like-minded countries to defending the maritime space of Indian and Pacific oceans.
Experts point out that: "India is struggling to improve the capacity for doing things outside its borders. There's been some advance but structural challenges remain." This probably refers to delays in overseas projects (eg. in Myanmar, Nepal, Iran, etc), to which was added the Sabang project, sited at the tip of Sumatra, Indonesia. Is India planning a much bigger navy? Military and civilian development of A&N Islands will be a good indicator of intentions.
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- Military build-up of A&N
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Interview Admiral Bimal Verma, C in Chief A&N Command
What assets would you ideally want for A&N command?------------------------------------------
Navy
Our capabilities plan for A&N (ie plan of all 3 services) is being readied, where we will identify military assets to be deployed over the next 2 plans (10 years). We are dependent on the realisation of the Navy's Long-term prospective plan. LTPP lists the equipment Navy wants to buy, eg. larger amphibious ships, anti-submarine warfare & missile-carrying capital ships. Currently, we have assets suited for surveillance and are adding some weapons-carrying platforms to the mix.
Army
- new TA battalion being formed, additional to existing TA & 2 infantry battalions.
- another army battalion will be added a/c long-term plan
- assets for independent operations are required, like integrated air defence
- brigade HQ will be made comprehensive
Airforce
-- commercial air traffic is substantial & a constant challenge for the IAF
-- air surveillance is limited but substantial accretion is "expected"
-- extension of runways at Shibpur in North and at Campbell Bay in South, is also supported by civilian admin to boost tourism & development (ie under Island Development Plan of Niti Aayog)
What of CNS' idea of mission-based deployments?-------------------------------
AN command and Eastern Naval command jointly deploy assets in the mouth of Malacca straits like long sea legs platforms, a helicopter carrying capability and good sensors. This has given Navy good presence and surveillance.
-- one warship is deployed here. Ships also visit A&N ports for operational turnaround (OTR), which is mainly food and fuel
-- OTR at foreign ports needs prior political and diplomatic clearances but has now become well established. Some defects are rectified at foreign ports, like Singapore
What about joint exercises or patrols?--------------------------------------------------
Maritime space is crowded by navies of all the littoral countries. Increasingly they are adding sub-surface assets to the mix. India maintains close maritime bonds, in some form, with all these littoral countries. This helps. For example, we conduct coordinated patrols, known as CORPATs with Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia. Here we jointly patrol along the maritime boundaries, and through these interactions improve our communication and understanding of each other’s operating procedures (which are unique but manageable at our working level). We have developed very good bonds and working level relations.
Milan 2018 and DANX (defence of A&N islands exercise)?-----------------------------------------
Milan 2018 was a grand event, and much bigger than earlier editions. 16 countries and 11 foreign ships participated -- and for the first time, a multilateral exercise was conducted (ie engagement at a working level rather than at apex level). This meant we worked closely together and there was substantial social interaction with officers and men of visiting ships. A seminar was held, as well as evening gatherings, ship visits and sports.
DANX is outside-of-routine exercise conceived by ANC for the defence of A&N islands. We get certain force accretion from the three services in the mainland which included the Special Forces too.
Regards participation in Gagan Shakti (the gigantic exercise in 2018): Gagan Shakti was conducted by IAF in accordance with operational plans. IAF practised maritime strikes and air defence in our area and we provided them support as requested, such as turnaround of the aircraft, refuelling etc.
How is surveillance done?--------------------------
Surveillance is a huge challenge. It must be remembered that out of 572 odd islands, only about 37 are inhabited. Most islands also have dense forests, unfavourable landing sites and nothing to provide sustenance. Our aim is to engaging people to lend their eyes and ears, be it the fishing community or the merchant shipping. Due to better air and surface assets that we now have, and an alert fishing community, poaching has become rare.
Navy carries out surveillance mostly through Dornier aircraft. Larger bodied P8I surveillance aircraft are also operated from Port Blair on a regular basis. UAVs surveillance is also done from Port Blair regularly, but we intend to expand this to other airfields in the future. Besides, Coast Guard’s Coastal Surveillance System (CSS) phase 1 is in place; and phase 2 of CSS will be instituted (not known when).
A&N command is a tri-services command. How does this work?-------------------------------------
I am directly in operational control of all the assets of army, navy, air force and the coast guard. Today we have an amphibious capability for about two battalions which I think is adequate for the defensive profile of AN command. It is the only joint operational command in the country.
ANC is an experiment which was started some 17 years ago and we have come a long way. I have all the operational assets of the armed forces directly under me and we operate seamlessly. That, according to me, is the biggest measure of our achievement. I am a naval officer, but here I don the camouflage uniform of our sister service.
I would say that the last two-three years have been quite productive for us. We had a wish list and we been allotted several assets by services. While the army has given some of its assets from its existing kitty; the IAF has increased the number of Mi-17 helicopters in the islands. And the Navy has provided weapon carrying platforms. Considering our role in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, our request for a Combat Engineering company has also been met.
Another achievement is that earlier CINCAN (Commander-in-Chief, Andaman Nicobar Command) did not have disciplinary powers over all the three services. As a naval officer, I had the power to take disciplinary action against naval personnel, but now I also have the warrant to operate the Army Act and the Air force Act as well. Similarly, all land holdings of the defence forces have been directly placed under ANC. This will result in optimum utilisation.
all the three services. As a naval officer, I had the power to take disciplinary action against naval personnel, but now I also have the warrant to operate the Army Act and the Air force Act as well. Similarly, all land holdings of the defence forces have been directly placed under ANC. This will result in optimum utilisation.
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