Indian Navy unveils plan to counter China's growing assertiveness
Senior Indian Navy commanders have approved a plan to step up its maritime footprint in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Under the "new mission-based deployment," up to 15 mission-ready Indian warships and aircraft would be deployed round-the-clock along crucial sea lanes of communications. The plan, greenlit by Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, comes amid an increase in the Chinese navy's presence in the IOR.
New plan is in tune with Modi's SAGAR vision
The Indian Navy's new plan of "re-balancing its deployments" in the IOR is in tune with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aim of ensuring the 'security and growth for all in the region' (SAGAR), a senior navy officer told PTI.
What the new plan entails?
The Navy deploys warships in the IOR for anti-piracy and humanitarian assistance missions. The deployment plan was approved during the four-day naval commanders' conference. It involves a warship transition cycle to efficiently deal with maintenance periods and operational deployments. The deployments would range from the Persian Gulf to the Strait of Malacca and the northern Bay of Bengal to the southeast coast of Africa.
How China is increasing its presence in the IOR
The Indian Navy has sighted over a dozen Chinese warships, including submarines, destroyers and intelligence-monitoring vessels in the IOR in May-June. China has cited anti-piracy patrols and freedom of navigation for its increased IOR presence. China operationalized its first overseas naval base in July at Djibouti, located strategically in the Horn of Africa. This concerned India as it would significantly boost China's IOR operations.
