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Showing posts with the label Indian- American Naval Co-operation

Why Maritime Logistics Pacts are Vital for Asia’s Strategic Balance ( Source- The Diplomat / Author- Abhijit Singh)

Image credits- Indian Navy Source- The Diplomat Author- Abhijit Singh Ever since it was signed late last month, India’s logistics agreement with the United States has been a contested issue in India’s strategic circles. The pact has attracted some criticism from a section of India’s political and strategic elite who feel it restricts India’s freedom of military action. The critics appear convinced the pact does not benefit India strategically in the same way as it advantages the U.S. military. As a leading Indian defense analyst put it, “the government seems to have been guided more by the fear of being accused of succumbing to pressure from Washington and less by an evaluation of whether this might benefit India’s military.” As a result, Indian defense ministry officials find themselves under pressure to explain why they believe an agreement with the United States on military logistics is in India’s best interests. Meanwhile, supporters of the pact claim that it only

America and India: Aligned but not Allied ( Source- The National Interest / Author- Uma Parameswaran)

Credits- Flickr/ MEA India Source- The National Interest Author- Uma Purushothaman Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US last week imparted new energy into the Indo-US relationship with consolidation of relations in areas such as nuclear, defense, clean energy and counter terrorism. However, with no great breakthroughs announced, much was also left unsaid. First, let's look at what was accomplished. Defense ties were significantly augmented. The elevation by the US of India to a 'major defense partner' means that like US allies, India is now eligible to receive more advanced and sensitive technology, including dual use technology, from the US even though the defense relationship will remain primarily a commercial buyer-seller relationship. America’s refusal to export dual use technology to India has long been a sore point with Indian policy makers. Of all the areas in which the US and India have cooperated in the last decade, defense h

History and evolution of the Indian navy

Ship building in ancient Calicut coast ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons /  BRAUN AND HOGENBERG) When we talk about the Indian navy, what nobody realities is the fact that India has a rich and varied maritime tradition dating back to the Indus civilization. Like the Chinese, India was a major trading hub and had extensive links with ancient Egypt and other civilization. As we celebrate the navy week, it is time to take a look at the history and the evolution of the Indian navy: Early years: India has a rich maritime history dating back 5,000 years.The world's first tidal dock is believed to have been built at Lothal around 2300 BCE during the Indus Valley Civilization, near the present day Mangrol harbour on the Gujarat coast. The Rig Vedas written around 1700 BCE, credits Varuna with knowledge of the ocean routes and describes naval expeditions. There is reference to the side wings of a vessel called Plava, which give stability to the ship under storm conditions

India’s Evolving Maritime Strategy ( Source- The Diplomat / Author- Darshana M.Baruah)

Indian navy flotilla ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons / Indian navy) Source- The Diplomat Author- Darshana M. Baruah On October 26, 2015, the Indian Navy released its latest maritime strategy, titled “Ensuring Secure Seas: Indian Maritime Security Strategy.” This edition is a revised and updated version of the previous outlined strategy “Freedom to Use the Seas: India’s Maritime Military Strategy,” published in 2007. The title itself is indicative of the changing tone of the Indian navy’s interests and intentions from the 2007 strategy. The previous strategy did not take into consideration the changing geopolitical environment and its strategic implications on India’s maritime interests. The 2015 maritime security strategy addresses this gap by complementing the evolving security dynamics in the Indian Ocean region and reflecting a bold Indian navy with a renewed outlook on India’s maritime security needs. The security architecture in maritime Asia along with the

A 5-Step Plan for a New Indian Maritime Strategy ( Source- The National Interest / Author- James Holmes)

Image credits- Indian Navy Source- The National Interest Author- James Holmes Whither Indian maritime strategy? New Delhi reportedly wants to fit out a 200-ship navy by 2027, centered on aircraft-carrier task forces, a mix of conventional and nuclear-powered submarines, and missile-toting aircraft and surface combatants. That’s up from 124 by my tally. What will India do with a navy whose numbers mushroom by over 60 percent in a dozen years? It’s a fair and indeed vital question to ask. India would be far from the first seagoing nation to build ships for shipbuilding’s sake. Now, it’s important to preface any foray into naval matters with a caveat, namely that it’s crucial not to get transfixed by brute numbers of hulls. Big round numbers exert a particularly potent allure—witness America’s bid for a 600-ship U.S. Navy during the 1980s, and its struggle to maintain a 300-ship navy today. Anyway. Estimating the combat punch of a 200-ship Indian Navy requires observ

US-India Cooperation on Naval Aviation: Game Changer? ( Source- The Diplomat, Author- Robert Farley)

Malabar Exercises 2014 ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons, United States Navy / Author- Mass Communication Specialist Alonzo M. Archer) Source- The Diplomat Author- Robert Farley One of the potentially most interesting developments to emerge from President Obama’s recent trip to India was news that the United States and India have decided to embark on cooperative efforts with respect to naval aviation.  Of course, India and the United States already enjoy some degree of collaboration, as the U.S. has assisted the Indian Navy with pilot training and deck management for several years. Still, the open discussion of this relationship implies a more expansive, longer-term cooperative framework than has previous been clear. India has taken a much different road with its carrier force than the United States. It’s current carriers are transplants from the United Kingdom and Russia, albeit with significant modification.  Instead of pursuing a common design for its three carrie