INDIA'S MARITIME SECURITY : LEAD TO BE AN OMNIPOTENT

INDIA'S MARITIME SECURITY : LEAD TO BE AN OMNIPOTENT

 The term used to reference maritime security is समुद्र सुरक्षा (pron. samudri suraksha). The word

samudri means “related to the sea,” and suraksha can simultaneously translate into “defense”, “safety”, or “security” based on the context of its usage

.

India's 7,516-kilometre-long coastline includes 5,422 kilometres of coastline on the mainland and 2,094 kilometres on the islands belonging to 9 states and 4 Union Territories. The coastline houses 12 major and 200 minor ports, along with 95 landing centres, and is increasingly facing security challenges from adversarial neighbours .

Maritime security involves protecting the nation’s sovereignty from threats arising from the oceans and seas and it includes protecting coastal areas, safeguarding the available ocean resources such as fish, offshore oil and gas wells, port facilities, etc. It also means maintaining freedom at sea for the movement of our ships and facilitating and protecting trade.

Nearly 95% of India’s international trade by volume and over 70% by value is conducted through oceans, which underlines the importance of the Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs). The Indian economy is hugely dependent on energy imports to the extent of 81% of the total domestic oil consumption and these imports are transported by the sea while offshore oil gas production accounts for 80% of all domestic gas production, hence securing the maritime area is non-negotiable.

The security of Indian coasts is shouldered by the ‘Indian Navy’ and the ‘Indian Coast Guard’. Very few states like GUJARAT have their marine police too. The Home Ministry is pondering over the idea of setting up a ‘Central Marine Police Force‘ (CMPF).

After the 26/11 attacks, costal preparedness is better than earlier but the overall picture is not satisfactory. The conditions have definitely improved with greater fund allocations for coastal infrastructure, including police stations and radar stations along India’s coastline, improved ‘surveillance and domain awareness,’ through the installation of radar stations and identification systems, and the enhancement of coordination through Joint Operation Centres (JOCs). But still there are many things that need improvisation, this matter can't be kept in a cold box.

Recently, the Prime Minister chaired a high-level open debate at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on enhancing maritime security, becoming the first Indian PM to preside over a UNSC open debate.

PM’s remarks at the UNSC debate on “Enhancing Maritime Security: A Case for International Cooperation”

Five basic principles were outlined by the PM: Maritime trade ,Maritime disputes, Maritime threats , Maritime environment, Maritime connectivity.

 

IMS Concern

Access to the Indian Ocean is geographically controlled by several chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz, the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb and Malacca Strait, which are critical for safeguarding the Indian maritime interests. It is, therefore, very important that these areas remain free from the control of inimical interests.

Somalia based piracy has caused universal worry, which has spread its wings as far east as the Lakshadweep. Cooperation between littoral nations is necessary to tackle piracy and India has been at the forefront in this regard.

China’s footprint in the IOR (Indian Ocean Region) is growing, with an expanding Navy and its acquisition of a base at Djibouti, access facilities in Malaysia, and the ‘surreptitious’ base at Gwadar.

China has deployed underwater drone glider in the Indian Ocean in December 2020 with a tag of naval intelligence purpose. This is reminiscent of the issue of the standoff at Ladakh which reflects the deadlock situation between India and China.

Indian coasts have been susceptible to smuggling of items such as gold, electronic goods, narcotics, and arms. The frequent straying of fishermen into neighbouring country waters has not only jeopardised the safety of the fishermen but has also raised national security concerns.

Adding to the above glimpses there is ‘n’ number of cases wherein Indian marine security and rights are somehow affected. Having a long-standing history in dealing with sea disputes, most of the time India has been party to the international disputes as many ships sailed to India and from India.

Line of Actions

By countering such 'n' number of threats India taken several major initiatives that make India's Maritime Security more dynamic. In recently the government has appointed the country's first National Maritime Security Coordinator (NMSC). former Vice Chief of the navy, Vice Admiral Ashok Kumar, as the NMSC in the National Security Council Secretariat under the National Security Advisor.

National Command Control Communication and Intelligence Network (NC3I) has been launched to provide near gapless surveillance of the entire coastline and prevent the intrusion of undetected vessels, the coastal surveillance network project.

The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has been constituted to create an appropriate database of security-related information. A three-tier security grid was installed with the Indian Navy, the coast guard, and the marine police jointly patrolling India’s near-seas.

  

With an aim to deepen economic and security cooperation with its maritime neighbours and assist in building their maritime security capabilities, Prime Minister put forward the vision of SAGAR (‘Security and Growth for all in the Region’) in 2015.

India has been championing the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) idea, and in 2019, India launched Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and set up an Indo-Pacific wing in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The Ministry of Culture launched Project MAUSAM in 2014 to re-connect and re-establish communications between countries of the Indian Ocean world. Focused efforts to further projects such as this and others like the Kerala government’s ‘Spice Route’ will strengthen India’s maritime interests in the IOR.

India, which is historically non-aligned, is now entering into “issue-based alignments” with other players of the Indo-Pacific region, as reflected by the Quad initiative, which includes USA, Japan and Australia.

What’s next......

The outcome of the whole discussion evaluates the current position as a valley situation for India whereby an adjacent country i.e. China is constantly expanding its involvement in the Indian seas in the name of research or development. Though its concealed target is to indirectly conquer other states under their dominance which makes it very clear that Indian maritime security is actually at stake as its three ways are covered by the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Coastal security exercises like sagar kavach need to be conducted regularly, in order to generate awareness about threats emanating from the sea as well as to develop synergies among the concerned agencies.For ‘securing maritime’ security India has to put all the efforts into it with an evolutionary approach and participate in the race of survival of the fittest. Right now India is doing same thing, security forces are operating very intrusive. And these transactions helps India in becoming omnipotent.

- AYUSH SRIVASTAVA 

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