Indian Navy in mad spree to buy arms

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Indian Navy in mad spree to buy arms


Friday, July 16, 2010
By Abdul Zahoor Khan Marwat

The Indian Navy is planning to buy six submarines at the cost of Rs 50,000 crore, which is the biggest and the most ambitious deal for arms the country has ever signed. In fact, it overtakes the 126 fighter aircraft deal that would cost New Delhi around Rs 42,000 crores.

These submarines are in addition to six Scorpene submarines India is acquiring from France at the cost of Rs 20,000 crores. In all, India is in a race to build/ purchase 12 modern diesel electric submarines in the coming decade.

The Indian Navy’s mad spree to buy the latest weapons is generating concern among the neighbouring countries and even in far-off nations.

In 2007, Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony had declared: “India has the potential and the capability to be a significant maritime player. I would even venture to say that the Indian Ocean could, in fact, be India’s new Silk Route.” The Indian Ocean’s littoral extends from South Africa to Australia.

The Pakistan naval chief, Admiral Noman Bashir, recently in a speech made it clear that the Indian Navy’s current force structure and future expansion plans “reflect its hegemonic mindset to further flex its muscles and become a blue water navy.” In this backdrop, the protection of maritime trade and the safety of sea lanes has become the Pakistan Navy’s main concern, he said.

Speaking at a naval aviation seminar, Admiral Bashir made it clear that Pakistan Navy was keeping a watchful eye on its area of responsibility to ensure free flow of traffic and to effectively tackle threats and challenges.

Some of the upcoming Indian naval developments which reflect her ambitions to build a strategic blue water navy include an indigenously built Air Defence Ship which will enter into service in 2014, four stealth destroyers, first of the three ATV submarines, the INS Arihant, and induction of 10 Fast Attack Craft (FACs). The Indian Navy is planning to buy 50 light utility helicopters. In this regard, a request for information (RfI) has been sent to four international companies. The helicopters would have the capability of carrying out anti-submarine attacks with torpedoes and depth charges. Although already possessing a large fleet of maritime surveillance aircraft, Indian Naval Air Arm is further expanding by purchasing eight customized P-8A Maritime Multi-Mission Aircraft from Boeing. The first aircraft will be delivered by 2013 and the remaining by 2015-16. Additionally, Indian Navy is procuring four carrier-based AEW&C aircraft to carry out airborne surveillance, detection and tracking of airborne and surface contacts and similarly maritime strike capability is being enhanced through induction of advanced MiG-29 K naval fighter aircraft and BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from Russia.

The list is not exhaustive as there a many more acquisitions, developments and expansion projects which underscore the Indian Navy’s strategic ambitions in the wider Asia-Pacific region and the threat that it poses to the neighbouring countries, especially Pakistan.

Indian Navy in mad spree to buy arms