CONFIRMED: India to build its first foreign Naval Base in Seychelles

[AMCA]

India's influence is increasing while ours is decreasing. Countries that used to give us on arrival visas like Sri Lanka now do not. Very unfortunate and a wake up call for us. We always see things optimistically but I think we should look at ourselves much more critically. We have no allies left other than China and Turkey-which also do not give us on arrival visas.

Its pure business at the end of the day. Any country for that matter, the influence is rooted only to the extent of ones ability to contribute. India has a strong Human resource and a descent industry which is a lucrative combination for developed world to make their products cheap and for the under developed world to buy our products.

 

[nair]

ndia's influence is increasing while ours is decreasing. Countries that used to give us on arrival visas like Sri Lanka now do not. Very unfortunate and a wake up call for us. We always see things optimistically but I think we should look at ourselves much more critically. We have no allies left other than China and Turkey-which also do not give us on arrival visas.

I dono how one can decide the influence based on the visa provided to its citizens.....

 

[Capt.Popeye]

We should actually work to get Seychelles up in a major way. Also, it would make sense to improve relations with Somalia. Pump in infrastructure projects and get a naval base operational there. It would be the first step of our Africa strategy.

Seychelles, of course, yes. Somalia, relations with whom? African Policy otherwise is going OK, lots of investment going on. Just as East Africans have a long enough relationship with India; S.Africa has a stable relation-ship with India, thanks largely to substantial Indian-origin communities in both parts. This out-reach in the Southern Indian Ocean; si strictly part of Maritime Strategy, and it is going good, except for ups and downs in Maldives. But in the longer run; the Maldivians know what is good for them. Nasheed is likely to make a come-back down the line.

 

[haviZsultan]

I dono how one can decide the influence based on the visa provided to its citizens.....

Even if we do not use visas on arrival and a cornerstone to decide the real power of Pakistan or India's foreign policy we should count the fact that despite certain pacts with the countries where we decided that in the case of an attack on the other we would respond (such a pact existed with Turkey), this did not happen in reality.

No ally of ours helped us in the wars between India and Pakistan. Furthermore we have a messed up foreign policy for not signing an agreement with the Americans that they would not provide weapons to india. We should also have protested the US-India nuke deal which at the time the Americans refused to provide to us.

 

[surya kiran]

Somalia, relations with whom? African Policy otherwise is going OK, lots of investment going on. Just as East Africans have a long enough relationship with India; S.Africa has a stable relation-ship with India, thanks largely to substantial Indian-origin communities in both parts. This out-reach in the Southern Indian Ocean; si strictly part of Maritime Strategy, and it is going good, except for ups and downs in Maldives. But in the longer run; the Maldivians know what is good for them. Nasheed is likely to make a come-back down the line.

With the Federal Government of Somalia. They have one, nowadays. With the location off the Gulf of Aden, that would give us a good look at the traffic off the Persian Gulf and give us a landing point in Africa. They also have good mineral deposits, including uranium. Not to mention, they are expecting it to be rich in natural gas and oil.
Not to mention, control of the Gulf of Aden from Somalia will make sure Chinese need to pass through the Indian bases when they want to reach Djibouti.

As for the other states, yes we do have good relations with them, but its still an outreach program.Not a hard nosed strategic entry.

 

[vayuputhra]

Spare me your rant. Oil doesn't come from there. Oil comes from Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries, far away from Seychelles. And for that a naval base closer to Gulf of Aden serves the purpose. Besides there's a security cooperation between countries in order to give escort to merchant ships. Not entire sea lanes are susceptible to piracy, only those closer to Gulf of Aden. As for coal we already have enough coal to support our consumption. Madagascar serves the purpose for now.

You agree that India's coal comes from Madagascar and south Africa, as our coal is inferior, and australian coal has to pass through or near south china sea, and do you know Somali pirates have been caught near lakshadweep, and they go regularly to Seychelles waters and regularly roam in the international waters near gujarat, do you think somalia is far away from our influence?, i know our oil passes through gulf of aden, and that is why we dont want to take any chances, by not using the given oppurtunity, this is what happenes if one has short sightedness, if the Chinese had the islands they will definitely create problem and stop Indian business with Africa, they will also meddle in gulf of aden, if any one are thinking of choking China in the malakka straights, then China would have chocked Indian ships from Africa, this was their strategy, then why do you think India hurriedly accepted the offer and agreed for go ahead, so please don't be pessimistic hope our navy succeeds in it.

 

[SrNair]

Exactly, and they are not just a drain on funds but other resources too such as manpower, it is doubtful the IN could maintain/man all of these bases at current force levels and you don't want them to stretch themselves too thin. The IN is expanding itself with these things in mind but it will be a few years before the results become apparent.

And other nations will also start to depend us for their own security including nations and US for their advantage .We dont need that .We should concentrate IOR in next two decades then we can think about future expansion.

Spare me your rant. Oil doesn't come from there. Oil comes from Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries, far away from Seychelles. And for that a naval base closer to Gulf of Aden serves the purpose. Besides there's a security cooperation between countries in order to give escort to merchant ships. Not entire sea lanes are susceptible to piracy, only those closer to Gulf of Aden. As for coal we already have enough coal to support our consumption. Madagascar serves the purpose for now.

Well he has some point .We should look forward about our strategy and security.

 

[mirage]

My main question was about Japanese media. How do you follow them? You speak Japanese?

NHK

 

[Indian Jatt]

Is it possible for PN to detect our warships without chinese help???its like can they get to know about positions of our ships through satellite and radar stations...... And can we have advantage of placing our ships on different bases on western coast we have???

 

[damiendehorn]

The best way to fight the Chinese navy is to bottle them in the exits leading to the Indian Ocean

How?

 

[Abdullah S.]

Navy already has a listening station in Oman,but operating a Naval Base is big,Govt. should also develop Andaman as Big naval and Military base and allow USN to park their Ships there.

US doesn't need Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Its got Diego Garcia.

BTW, its nice to have listening stations all over Indian ocean and Oman etc. but you've gotta know that in case of a full fledge war, these would be taken out probably on the first day, either through diplomacy or muscle.

Is it possible for PN to detect our warships without chinese help???its like can they get to know about positions of our ships through satellite and radar stations...... And can we have advantage of placing our ships on different bases on western coast we have???

You're underestimating PN. If nothing else, we've still got P3C Orions, ZDK-03s and Erieyes, among other ground based and aerial radars, all of which can detect surface ships at range in excess of or close to 500 km.

 

[Jamwal's]

US doesn't need Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Its got Diego Garcia.

BTW, its nice to have listening stations all over Indian ocean and Oman etc. but you've gotta know that in case of a full fledge war, these would be taken out probably on the first day, either through diplomacy or muscle.


You're underestimating PN. If nothing else, we've still got P3C Orions, ZDK-03s and Erieyes, among other ground based and aerial radars, all of which can detect surface ships at range in excess of or close to 500 km.

They do need Andaman ,and it could play an imp. role in their "Pivot to Asia" Policy in South China Sea,and its only the reluctance of Indian Govt,which don't want to lease our land to foreign navies,due to Domestic and Int pressure.

But We already have a mutual Logistics Support Agreement with US,so that their navy could use our ports and Vise versa.

Explaining the India-US Logistics Support Agreement by Sameer Suryakant Patil
India’s Incremental Balancing in the South China Sea
From remote outpost, India looks to check China's Indian Ocean thrust| Reuters

 

[Indian Jatt]

US doesn't need Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Its got Diego Garcia.

BTW, its nice to have listening stations all over Indian ocean and Oman etc. but you've gotta know that in case of a full fledge war, these would be taken out probably on the first day, either through diplomacy or muscle.


You're underestimating PN. If nothing else, we've still got P3C Orions, ZDK-03s and Erieyes, among other ground based and aerial radars, all of which can detect surface ships at range in excess of or close to 500 km.

Is Seychelles 500km away from pakistan???iam not doubting capabilities of PN.....but rather iam talking about position of our ships wrt to your navy and also where are ships are at what point, and without active intel, PN can lose its ships easily....500km from pakistan coast....most of our bases are out of your reach....IN has many points to launch offensive...PN has lots of vulnerable points...

 

[Abdullah S.]

Is Seychelles 500km away from pakistan???iam not doubting capabilities of PN.....but rather iam talking about position of our ships wrt to your navy and also where are ships are at what point, and without active intel, PN can lose its ships easily....500km from pakistan coast....most of our bases are out of your reach....IN has many points to launch offensive...PN has lots of vulnerable points...

Umm... Our assets fly so their actual range is much more than 500. We can stay in international waters and look into the ins and outs of most of your bases without a worry. If the base at Seychelles gets established then we're going to work something out for it. We always counter Indian plans. You know that. It's like the old Cold War. As a layman I can predict that we'll take out your Seychelles base, when the need arises, through submarine launched babur cruise missiles. That capability is almost here, if it already isn't.

But I'm not a naval expert so I can't comment on our active naval intel on your ships much. But I'm sure we're holding our own. You know we do. Maybe we have eyes in your naval headquarters and get first hand info from your own ships at all times. Maybe we've broken your secure communication encryptions and evasedrop on your ship to surface communications. Who knows.
Remember, we had someone inside your army chiefs meeting with your defence minister not too long ago. We countered your deployment plans even before your troops got them

Exclusive: Indian Army movement plans leaked to ISI last year : North, News - India Today

 

[Eminent Mainstream Media]

Furthermore we have a messed up foreign policy for not signing an agreement with the Americans that they would not provide weapons to india. We should also have protested the US-India nuke deal which at the time the Americans refused to provide to us.

What makes you think- that your Govt- and Army Chiefs didn't try all of the above and even more-