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India to replace ageing submarines to tackle Chinese dominance
The latest November 6 Naval mishap has left sour taste in mouth of the Government of India and Indian Navy, which has also made mandatory for the Indian Navy to overhaul its ageing fleet. It’s worrying signs for Indian Navy because several mishaps have happened since 2011. This shocking revelation was made by the Minister of Defence (MoD) Manohar Parrikar in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. He said, “There have been 24 mishaps involving Indian Naval submarines since 2011, claiming the lives of 22 personnel besides four others going missing”.
Parrikar informed the Upper House that while Boards of Inquiry (BoIs) have been instituted in all these cases, signalling human error as the main cause of the accidents. He said, “The findings of the completed ones indicate human error and technical issues as the reasons behind the mishaps.”
While three accidents each occurred in 2011 and 2012, seven happened in 2013 and 11 till November 6, this year, the Minister had informed. The accidents in 2013 included the one involving INS Sindhurakshak in which 18 personnel had lost their lives.
On November 8, TRV-72 (torpedo recovery vehicle) sank off Visakhapatnam in which one naval personnel had died while four others “still remain missing”, Parrikar said, adding six others on board were safely rescued.
Currently, India’s Navy has only 13 ageing diesel-electric submarines and half of these are operational at any given time due to refits. Last year, the INS Sindhuratna sank after explosions and a fire while it was docked in Mumbai.
Another reason to replace submarines is fear of China which is trying to proof its power in South China Sea and Indian Ocean through which four-fifths of its oil imports pass. And recent incident of Beijing’s parking its submarine in Sri Lanka has also send jitters to India. That is why, India has speed up the modernisation of its fleet. Moreover, China has also strengthened its ties with Maldives.
According to experts, if the Government really wants to stop China from making its mark in Indian waters then it has to bring in new fleet as soon as possible. Moreover, this is the right time to rebuild the entire fleet. In fact, if India can build missiles, tanks and other light weight helicopters and Mangalyaan, then it can also build submarines. By building submarines at home will serve two purposes, one it will cut down our dependence upon other countries including Russia and Israel and other nations because at present India is the largest importer of arms and defence material.
China has 60 conventional submarines and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, including three armed with nuclear weapons.
Second, with the recent announcement recruiting more scientists in DRDO during the ongoing Session of Parliament will also help in Make in India initiative. By taking these key measures, Indian Armed Forces will get more strengthened and will not have to look to other countries for delivery of goods.
The Indian Express report carries a Reuters report stating the Central Government has already accelerated the process to build six conventional diesel-electric submarines at an estimated cost of 500 billion Rupees ($8.1 billion), in addition to six similar submarines that French firm DCNS is assembling in Mumbai port to replace a nearly 30-year-old fleet hit by a run of accidents.
The country’s first indigenously built nuclear submarine, loaded which will be loaded with nuclear-tipped missiles and headed for sea trials this month, joins the fleet in late 2016. Meanwhile, India has leased a nuclear-propelled submarine from Russia in 2012 and is in talks to lease a second one.
Quoting sources, the report further states that Central Government has already turned to industrial group Larsen & Toubro Ltd to built the hull for the first domestic nuclear submarine, to manufacture two more.
With India building its Navy to about 150 ships, including two aircraft carriers, and China holding around 800 in its naval fleet, the two are more likely than not to run into each other, naval officials and experts say.
Reuters quotes David Brewster, a strategic affairs visiting fellow at the Australian National University as saying India will do everything it can to recover its dominant position in the Indian Ocean. It may seek Naval cooperation with Japan and Australia, and expand a military base on the Andaman Islands which lie about 140 km (87 miles) from the Malacca Straits, he said.
“India sees the presence of any Chinese Naval vessel as an intrusion. There is a big ramp-up in their presence, which is clearly intended to send a message to India,” said Brewster.
The latest November 6 Naval mishap has left sour taste in mouth of the Government of India and Indian Navy, which has also made mandatory for the Indian Navy to overhaul its ageing fleet. It’s worrying signs for Indian Navy because several mishaps have happened since 2011. This shocking revelation was made by the Minister of Defence (MoD) Manohar Parrikar in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. He said, “There have been 24 mishaps involving Indian Naval submarines since 2011, claiming the lives of 22 personnel besides four others going missing”.
Parrikar informed the Upper House that while Boards of Inquiry (BoIs) have been instituted in all these cases, signalling human error as the main cause of the accidents. He said, “The findings of the completed ones indicate human error and technical issues as the reasons behind the mishaps.”
While three accidents each occurred in 2011 and 2012, seven happened in 2013 and 11 till November 6, this year, the Minister had informed. The accidents in 2013 included the one involving INS Sindhurakshak in which 18 personnel had lost their lives.
On November 8, TRV-72 (torpedo recovery vehicle) sank off Visakhapatnam in which one naval personnel had died while four others “still remain missing”, Parrikar said, adding six others on board were safely rescued.
Currently, India’s Navy has only 13 ageing diesel-electric submarines and half of these are operational at any given time due to refits. Last year, the INS Sindhuratna sank after explosions and a fire while it was docked in Mumbai.
Another reason to replace submarines is fear of China which is trying to proof its power in South China Sea and Indian Ocean through which four-fifths of its oil imports pass. And recent incident of Beijing’s parking its submarine in Sri Lanka has also send jitters to India. That is why, India has speed up the modernisation of its fleet. Moreover, China has also strengthened its ties with Maldives.
According to experts, if the Government really wants to stop China from making its mark in Indian waters then it has to bring in new fleet as soon as possible. Moreover, this is the right time to rebuild the entire fleet. In fact, if India can build missiles, tanks and other light weight helicopters and Mangalyaan, then it can also build submarines. By building submarines at home will serve two purposes, one it will cut down our dependence upon other countries including Russia and Israel and other nations because at present India is the largest importer of arms and defence material.
China has 60 conventional submarines and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, including three armed with nuclear weapons.
Second, with the recent announcement recruiting more scientists in DRDO during the ongoing Session of Parliament will also help in Make in India initiative. By taking these key measures, Indian Armed Forces will get more strengthened and will not have to look to other countries for delivery of goods.
The Indian Express report carries a Reuters report stating the Central Government has already accelerated the process to build six conventional diesel-electric submarines at an estimated cost of 500 billion Rupees ($8.1 billion), in addition to six similar submarines that French firm DCNS is assembling in Mumbai port to replace a nearly 30-year-old fleet hit by a run of accidents.
The country’s first indigenously built nuclear submarine, loaded which will be loaded with nuclear-tipped missiles and headed for sea trials this month, joins the fleet in late 2016. Meanwhile, India has leased a nuclear-propelled submarine from Russia in 2012 and is in talks to lease a second one.
Quoting sources, the report further states that Central Government has already turned to industrial group Larsen & Toubro Ltd to built the hull for the first domestic nuclear submarine, to manufacture two more.
With India building its Navy to about 150 ships, including two aircraft carriers, and China holding around 800 in its naval fleet, the two are more likely than not to run into each other, naval officials and experts say.
Reuters quotes David Brewster, a strategic affairs visiting fellow at the Australian National University as saying India will do everything it can to recover its dominant position in the Indian Ocean. It may seek Naval cooperation with Japan and Australia, and expand a military base on the Andaman Islands which lie about 140 km (87 miles) from the Malacca Straits, he said.
“India sees the presence of any Chinese Naval vessel as an intrusion. There is a big ramp-up in their presence, which is clearly intended to send a message to India,” said Brewster.
