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 4th
of December in 1971 marks the day in history when India’s
Navy came in to its own in battle and on that night the three
Osa Class missile boats , with sobriquet ‘Killers’
hit Pak Navy ships and sank three off Karachi on 4th December
1971 and on the same day PNS Ghazi sank off Vizag paving the
way for the Indian Navy’s blazing success in that war.
4th Dec is celebrated annually as Navy Day. IDU has great
pleasure in wishing the fine and superior Indian Navy a very
Happy Navy Day on 4th Dec. We are sure the men and women in
white will drink a toast their Navy, dedicate themselves to
the service of the nation and open their ships and establishments
to the public play Navy bands and celebrate Navy Balls at
naval stations, so that the pretty lasses in the country can
learn about their wonderful and efficient Navy. This is the
only day lay public sees its navy, and this year Mumbai took
children to sea took Handicapped children to establishments
.and had open sea races. So IDU looks at the strengths weaknesses
opportunities and threats to the Indian Navy.
Strengths. The Navy is a very professional force of
the leading Royal Navy pedigree improved over time by exposure
to the best of Russian US and Israeli Navies with latest equipment
from abroad mainly Russian and Israeli and now Swedish and
lots of missile power. It has air power and the acquisition
programme of 40 warships, 12 P8i, 45 MiGs and helicopters
is adequate for a surface Navy. Navy’s .Senior officers
are well above the quality of the other services of India
and many in top echelon are from US war college which teaches
strategy and though India does not have a strategy the Navy
has a strategy in writing. Funds are adequate and PM said
Navy will not be constrained for funds. Thank you PM and for
understanding what maritime power in the Indian Ocean means
for India’s future. GRSE and MDL is setting in place
modular construction and private yards have come up.Navy’s
survey branch is its strategic asset.
Weaknesses.
IN and CG need some 10 more OPVs so that more serious patrolling
can be done of the coast and OPVs can be deployed for anti
piracy. The ship building programme is slow and non modular
in construction and costs with out private shipyard in the
fray for competition have sky rocketed. in PSU shipyards If
L&T could build a nuclear submarine in cooperation with
the navy in the SBC why cannot JVs and PPP be taken up soon.
The submarine strength has fallen and submarines are aging
and Navy needs to buy off the shelf and build Project 75India
soon. There is no Joint Secretary (maritime) to ensure swift
co-ordination Maritime issues are dis jointed and needs attention.
Naval ships have satellite terminals and GSAT 7 needs to go
up soon to make Navy net centric.
Opportunities.
The Navy must be given exposure with friendly Navies and consulted
on UNCLOS issues and Indian Navy needs to take full advantage
of the 500 odd personnel in Russia standing by for INS Vikramaditya
Krivacks and Nerpa by courses and visits to yards and advanced
naval establishments. Senior naval officers must be sent to
establishments like IIMs Harvard Oxford and such top universities
for short management courses if they qualify to improve their
world’ view which is what the navy is all about. Indian
Navy must make Government sign the LSA with USA.
Threats.
The ship building programme is with MOD Defence Production
which is bureaucratic and involved with politics and this
slows decision making. China will be the nation’s competitor
and Indian Navy’s challenge as a threat and will try
make inroads in to the IOR and the Navy needs experts in Chinese
and cyber security as that will be a danger.and threat if
not attended India’s intelligence is lacking. on this
and maritime affairs. And there are too many agencies with
poor maritime knowledge.,
Maritime Coastal Security
As media has brought out the following need to be improved.
as soon as possible and attended to
- The
Coastal Police is still in its infancy and needs review
how to make it effective. Smuggling and selling diesel to
Indian boats for less than half its legal onshore price,
is growing in numbers. Indian fishing boats are buying smuggled
Iranian fuel from the Karachi-based high-seas traffickers,
and this means if that cannot be controlled then coastal
security is still lacking.
- The
boats being inducted are not being manned and Navy and CG
should be made responsible with induction of Ex Navy on
good contracts.
- Radars
are still to be set up with good VTMs.
- Fishing
craft below 300 tons need to be given DATS as given in Chennai
area. Details below.
- The
trial of the three systems—satellite-based tracking,
Very High Frequency and the Automatic Identification System—are
just beginning, and would take over a year to complete which
needs to be speeded up.
- DAT
presently the around 1850 DATs have been distributed through
coast guard. The Hub is established in Maritime Rescue Coordination
Centre, Chennai. The uplink is using UHF band with a power
of 5 Watts and downlink to the Hub is using Ext. C
Band. The DRT transponder in INSAT-3A is used. The technology
has been transferred to Indian Industry. The systems are
being manufactured by VXL Technologies Ltd., Faridabad,
Komoline Electronics Pvt. Ltd, Ahmedabad, Avantel Ltd. Hyderabad.
The maximum price will be around Rs. 8700.
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