Relevance : GS Paper II
Why has this issue cropped up?
India is setting a high tempo of naval operations in Asia.
The recent exercises in the Indian Ocean
- Indian and Australian warships held drills in the Bay of Bengal.
- Anti-submarine exercise with the U.S. Navy near Diego Garcia.
- Joint exercise ‘Varuna’ with the French Navy off the coast of Goa and Karwar.
- Indian warships participated in a ‘group sail’ Japan, Philippines and US.
Reasons behind the India’s interest in Indian Ocean region
- Rapid expansion of China’s naval footprint in the Indian Ocean.
- South Asian navies have been making their presence felt in the seas of the subcontinent.
- Pakistan too is becoming an increasingly potent actor in the northern Indian Ocean.
Need of partnerships for India
- A paucity of assets and capacity has forced the Navy to seek partners.
- Partnerships are also vital to deter Chinese undersea deployments in South Asia.
Analyzing India’s Ocean focus
- India has moved to deepen its regional engagement.
- However, it hasn’t succeeded in leveraging partnerships for strategic gains
Conclusion
Indian Navy’s regional strategy is a mere ‘risk management’ tactic, with limited approach to shape events in littoral-Asia.