Reports that a Chinese submarine entered Karachi port, docked there for a week, criss-crossed the Arabian Sea, along the Indian waters, and returned to China have caused great concern among the Indian security officials. It is a matter of speculation as to what precisely was the mission of the People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N). Whatever it might have been, it was a measure of the transformation of the Chinese Navy. For decades it used to operate close to the Chinese shores. Today it has emerged as a “blue-water force with long legs” that has been expanding its presence in the Indian Ocean region. India can do little to prevent China from using the international waters for its strategic purposes as they are common to all.
In fact, it can only watch with concern the increased activity of the Chinese warships and submarines around the Indian maritime waters. When pro-China Mahinda Rajapaksa was president of Sri Lanka, he allowed a Chinese submarine to dock in the Sri Lankan waters, despite the strong protests India made. Last year also a similar incident happened. It is futile to protest to Pakistan about the Chinese submarine’s visit to Karachi, for it will only provide an opportunity for Islamabad to snub India. The only way India can deal with the Chinese threat is to strengthen its own submarine fleet. It should expedite the delivery of six submarines the French have been building in India. It should also fast-track acquisition of as many submarines as possible. Given India’s size and the vast coastline it has to protect from prying “eyes”, there is an urgent need for more submarines.
How grossly inadequate India’s submarine force can be gauged from the fact that it has only 13 submarines against China’s 60. Given the rate at which China has been expanding its fleet, it will have a minimum of 75 submarines by 2020. They will also be capable of having nuclear payloads. Pakistan, a much smaller nation, has eight operational submarines. What all this suggests is that New Delhi should expedite beefing up India’s submarine strength. Prime minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Russia to attend the BRICS summit. He can explore the possibility of sourcing some submarines from Russia when he holds meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin. Once India has a larger submarine fleet, it will be better placed to protect its maritime interests.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/editorials/More-Subs-Must-to-Snub-Prying-Subs/201
In fact, it can only watch with concern the increased activity of the Chinese warships and submarines around the Indian maritime waters. When pro-China Mahinda Rajapaksa was president of Sri Lanka, he allowed a Chinese submarine to dock in the Sri Lankan waters, despite the strong protests India made. Last year also a similar incident happened. It is futile to protest to Pakistan about the Chinese submarine’s visit to Karachi, for it will only provide an opportunity for Islamabad to snub India. The only way India can deal with the Chinese threat is to strengthen its own submarine fleet. It should expedite the delivery of six submarines the French have been building in India. It should also fast-track acquisition of as many submarines as possible. Given India’s size and the vast coastline it has to protect from prying “eyes”, there is an urgent need for more submarines.
How grossly inadequate India’s submarine force can be gauged from the fact that it has only 13 submarines against China’s 60. Given the rate at which China has been expanding its fleet, it will have a minimum of 75 submarines by 2020. They will also be capable of having nuclear payloads. Pakistan, a much smaller nation, has eight operational submarines. What all this suggests is that New Delhi should expedite beefing up India’s submarine strength. Prime minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Russia to attend the BRICS summit. He can explore the possibility of sourcing some submarines from Russia when he holds meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin. Once India has a larger submarine fleet, it will be better placed to protect its maritime interests.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/editorials/More-Subs-Must-to-Snub-Prying-Subs/201
