INDIAN NAVY'S GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Naval diplomacy takes center stage as India joins the blue-water powers, writes NINAD D SHETH 

August 14, 2022 was a special Independence Day for India and her maritime power. Eight ships of Indian Navy fleet hoisted the tricolour across six continents. The INS Satpura was in San Diego, INS Tarkash in Rio, INS Tarangini in London, INS Trikand in Mombasa, INS Chennai and INS Betwa in Muscat, INS Saryu in Singapore and INS Sumedha in Perth.

This was a reassuring demonstration of the transcontinental reach of India’s naval power. It underlined the logistical command, the firepower and the control of the sea. It also underwrote the global operational capability of the men and women in the white uniform. An operation carried out over such a vast expanse to be all at once is within the grasp of only a select group of navies in the world. It reassures allies and puts foes on notice.

Behind the raw power of the weapon platforms, such as the destroyers, cruisers and corvettes on that day was a diplomatic note writ large. This read that the free world can rely on the Indian Navy for the freedom of navigation as India stands ready to safeguard her interest not just in her littoral but far from the shoreline.

The political underpinning of the emerging contours of Indian diplomacy on the open oceans was underlined in a vision statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India would work with maritime democracies to strengthen world order and share global responsibilities.