Indian Ocean : a New Vision

2013 (2) ISSN 2277 – 2464 FPRC Journal ________________________________________________________ (a Quarterly research journal devoted to studies on Indian Foreign Policy) ________________________________________________________________ Focus : Indian Ocean : A New Vision Responses, Articles ________________________________________________________ Foreign Policy Research Centre NEW DELHI (INDIA) ________________________________________________________ FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision Preface Indian Ocean has the unique distinction of being the only ocean named after a country. For extra‐regional powers, the Indian Ocean has for decades fulfilled the role of an important transit corridor But Sardar KM Pannikar rightly said, “While to other countries, the Indian Ocean is only one of the important oceanic areas, to India it is a vital sea. Her lifelines are concentrated in that area, her freedom is dependent on the freedom of that water surface. No industrial development, no commercial growth, no stable political structure is possible for her unless her shores are protected...” Therefore, there is a realisation across the spectrum that the challenges, opportunities and roles the Indian Ocean provides, need to be discussed seriously in the light of the fragile security environment in the region. It is very heartening to note that a wide galaxy of writers have focused on important themes and other related issues in their writings and comments, for this special issue of FPRC Journal on Indian Ocean. We express our heart-felt thanks to our contributors who have shared our sentiments and accepted our invitation to enrich the contents of the Journal.They are always our source of strength. Mahendra Gaur Indira Gaur Director Mg. Editor Foreign Policy Research Centre New Delhi 1 FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision FPRC Journal Focus : Indian Ocean : A New Vision Contributors : RESPONSES 1. Admiral Arun Prakash, Indian Navy (Retd) 2. Vice Admiral (Retd) M.K. Roy, PVSM, AVSM 2 FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision 3. Vice Admiral Harinder Singh PVSM, AVSM ( Retd) 4. Vice Admiral (Retired) Arun Kumar Singh 3 FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision 5. Dr. Toshi Yoshihara John A. van Beuren Chair of Asia-Pacific Studies Professor of Strategy,Strategy and Policy Department & an affiliate member of the China Maritime Studies Institute U.S. Naval War College 6. Dr.Timothy D. Hoyt Professor of Strategy and Policy and John Nicholas Brown Chair of Counterterrorism Studies, US Naval War College 4 FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision 7. Dr. David Brewster Visiting Fellow, Strategic & Defence Studies Centre, School of International, Political & Strategic Studies, Australian National University 8. Dr Peter Lehr Lecturer in Terrorism Studies CSTPV, School of International Relations, University of St. Andrews. Visiting Lecturer at the South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, Germany 5 FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision 9. Leighton G. Luke Manager of the Indian Ocean Research Programme at Future Directions International, Perth, Western Australia Articles 1. Lee Cordner AM Indo-Pacific Governance Research Centre (IPGRC) School of History & Politics The University of Adelaide,Adelaide ,SA 5005,Australia 6 FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision 2. Francis A. Kornegay, Jr Senior Fellow on emerging powers at the Institute of Global Dialogue in South Africa & Dr. Priya Chacko Lecturer in International Politics at the University of Adelaide 7 FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision 3. Commodore R SeshadriVasan, Indian Navy(Retd) Head, Strategy and Security Studies,Centre for Asia Studies, India, Director, Asian Secretariat World Boderpol 4. Dr. Christian Bouchard Full Professor, Department of Environmental Studies, Laurentian University & Dr. William W. Crumplin Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Studies, Laurentian University 8 FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision 5. Abhijit Singh Senior Research Fellow , National Maritime Foundation (NMF), New Delhi 6. Dr. Amita Agarwal Senior Fellow of the ICSSR, New Delhi 9 FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision 7. Prof. Paul Musili Wambua University Of Nairobi School of Law 8. Summar Rao Editor of Weekly Pulse 9. Sayoni Choudhuri Assistant Professor, Loreto College, Kolkata 10 FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision 10. Saloni Salil Visiting Fellow Indian Ocean Research Program at Future Directions International, Australia 11. Maria Ayub Researcher Fatima Jinnah Women University Rawalpindi Pakistan 11 FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision Responses : (pp. 13 -58) 1. Admiral Arun Prakash, Indian Navy (Retd) 2. Vice Admiral (Retd) M.K. Roy, PVSM, AVSM 3. Vice Admiral Harinder Singh , PVSM, AVSM ( Retd) 4. Vice Admiral (Retired) Arun Kumar Singh 5. Dr. Toshi Yoshihara 6. Dr.Timothy D. Hoyt 7. Dr. David Brewster 8. Dr Peter Lehr 9. Leighton G. Luke 12 FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision 1. Admiral Arun Prakash Indian Navy (Retd) (Admiral Arun Prakash retired as India’s 20th Naval Chief and Chairman Chiefs of Staff in end-2006. Commissioned into the Executive Branch in 1966, he specialized as an aviator and has logged 2500 hours; flying fighters from aircraft-carriers and patrol-aircraft and helicopters from ashore. During a career spanning over 40 years, he commanded four warships, including the aircraft-carrier Viraat, two naval air squadrons and a naval air station. In flag rank he commanded India’s Eastern Fleet, the National Defence Academy, the Andaman & Nicobar Joint Command, and the Western Naval Command. In staff assignments he served as head of the navy’s Aviation and Personnel branches and as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff. During his tenure as Chief, the Indian Navy saw many initiatives being launched in the fields of doctrine, strategy, transformation and foreign maritime cooperation. The 2004 tsunami saw the IN earn plaudits for mounting an effective disaster-relief operation, not only on India’s eastern seaboard, but also for reaching out to neighbouring Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia. A graduate of the IAF Test Pilots School, the Defence Services Staff College and the US Naval War College, he was awarded the Vir Chakra for gallantry during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, while flying with an Indian Air Force fighter-bomber squadron. Post-retirement, he writes and speaks on strategic and defence related topics. He has published a compendium of speeches and writings on maritime and other issues entitled: From the Crow’s Nest. He was the Chairman of the National Maritime Foundation and recently concluded a 4-year term as member of India’s National Security Advisory Board.) Interview with Admiral Arun Prakash 1. How do you assess the Indian Strategic Thinking Vis-À-Vis Indian Ocean? As in many other areas with a crucial bearing on national security, India‟s strategic thinking and planning vis-a-vis the Indian Ocean has remained tentative, inchoate and disjointed. For many years after independence, India‟s decision-makers remained trapped in a „continental mindset‟ and persevered in the conventional belief that all threats to national security emanated from Himalayan mountain passes. Thus, a combination of „sea-blindness‟, the absence of a strategic culture and the detachment of the political establishment from national security issues has created a hiatus as far as the Indian Ocean is concerned. Had any of them read Sardar KM Panikkar‟s, remarkably prescient, 1945 monograph titled „India and the Indian Ocean‟ they would have been struck by three of his observations; still valid 68 years on. Firstly; that the Indian Ocean is a vital area for India, because her lifelines are concentrated here and her freedom depends on the security of the sea-lanes. Secondly; that China intended to embark on a “policy of large scale naval expansion” and that a “movement towards the south will be reflected in the naval policy of a resurgent China.” And 13 FPRC Journal 2013(2) Indian Ocean : A New Vision thirdly; that “only on the basis of a regional organization, of which India will be the firm foundation, can the safety of the Indian Ocean be assured.” The Indian peninsula juts out over 1000 miles into the Indian Ocean, and its geo-physical configuration makes India as dependant on the seas as any island nation. This predicates the profound influence that this ocean, the only one named after a country, will have on India‟s security environment. It is against the background of that the senior leadership of the Indian Navy has, for decades, pursued a vision of „maritime India‟. With patience and perseverance, and mostly without the benefit of higher political direction, the Navy assiduously acquired hardware and capability, while simultaneously undertaking the creation of a doctrinal and strategic framework for employment of maritime forces in peace and in war. Within this matrix, the navy has given the highest priority to „foreign maritime cooperation‟ as a prime peacetime commitment. In pursuit of this objective the Navy has, from time to time, presented to the MEA and MoD time-bound road-maps which pinpoint specific actions in terms of providing material assistance, training or services to Indian Ocean island states such as Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius. Rarely have these proposals found ready approval; and this lack of synergy tells a tale of missed opportunities, while China goes ahead with its „string of pearls‟ strategy. 2. One aspect where India is learning is to integrate maritime considerations into foreign policy decision-making. Has India been able to do so in the last few years? While a beginning has certainly been made in this regard, there is a considerable room for forward thinking, planning and action. For this, there are two pre-requisites. Firstly we need to evolve a vision of India‟s stature in regional and world affairs, 25-30 years from now, and the kind of regional environment that we need to shape for this purpose; with special reference to our IOR neighbourhood.

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