Growing INDO-GULF DEFENCE
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RAKSHA ANIRVEDA DEFENCE COOPERATION GroWING INDO-GULF DEFENCE Cooperation AND Future Prospects The historic relations between India and the Gulf countries have undergone a qualitative transformation and has created a new momentum in bilateral ties. The changing nature of the geopolitics in Gulf and South Asia and the increasing confidence among the Gulf nations to develop ties with India, the future of Indo-Gulf defence cooperation looks bright By DR. MD. MUDDASSIR QUAMAR he historic relations between India and the Gulf countries have undergone a training of officers from the Royal qualitative transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His ability Saudi Armed Forces at Indian to engage in active diplomacy with the leaders of the Gulf has created a new defence training institutes and in momentum in bilateral ties. This is visible from the regular exchange of December 2017 the first group of high level visits to and from the Gulf. Since first becoming prime minister in Saudi cadets joined the three-year May 2014, Modi has visited the GCC countries seven times, including thrice training course at the National to the UAE and once each to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. The Defence Academy, Pune. only Gulf country the prime minister has not visited is Kuwait. In addition, The two sides have also Modi has engaged with the Saudi leadership at various multilateral forums, agreed to begin joint exercises especially the G-20 meetings including latest in Osaka, Japan in June 2019. between different branches of As reflected in the joint statements issued during the high level meetings, the military and it is expected to T the emphasis is on enhancing business and investment ties and improving be operationalised soon. During security and defence cooperation. the visit of Saudi Crown Prince GROWING DEFENCE COOPERATION SAUDI ARABIA in April 2016 and Crown Prince and Defence Minister Mohammed India and Saudi Arabia first signed bin Salman’s visit to New Delhi a MoU on defence cooperation in in February 2019. As per the February 2014 when then Crown MoU, India and Saudi Arabia Prince and Defence Minister (now have formed a Joint Committee King) Salman bin Abdulaziz al- on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) Saud visited India paving the way and it held its fourth meeting in for greater engagement between Riyadh in January 2019. Further, the security agencies and militaries delegation level visits have taken of the two countries. The desire for place between the two armed improving defence cooperation forces in 2018. As a step towards was re-emphasised during Prime improving military-to-military ties, Minister Modi’s visit to Riyadh India and Saudi Arabia agreed for 48 www.raksha-anirveda.com www.raksha-anirveda.com in February 2019, New Delhi Defence Cooperation Committee In March 2018, India and the THE UAE, ALONG and Riyadh “agreed to cooperate (JDCC) that has held regular UAE navies conducted the first WITH SAUDI and collaborate in joint defence meetings since. In January 2017, joint naval exercise “Gulf Star I” ARABIA, HAS production of spare parts for India and the UAE signed another off the UAE coast. In May-June EMERGED Naval and Land systems as well agreement for cooperation in 2016, the Air Force of the two AS INDIA’s as supply chain development.” the field of defence industry. countries conducted the second PREFERRED Moreover, maritime security is This has led to the participation joint exercise “Desert Eagle II” PARTNER IN THE GULF FOR considered a significant aspect of an Indian delegation led by at the Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu COOPERATION of defence cooperation and the Minister of State Subhash Bhamre Dhabi. In December 2017, a IN COUNTER- two side have agreed to “work in the International Defence delegation of the Air Force and TERRORISM together with other Indian Ocean Exhibition (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi Air Defence of UAE visited New WITH BETTER Rim Countries” to ensure security in February 2017. Subsequently, Delhi “to discuss logistics and INTELLIGENCE in the Indian Ocean and Arabian a UAE delegation visited India technology cooperation aspects SHARING AND Sea. The Indian navy and coast to participate in Defence Expo related to air force equipment.” COORDINATION guards hold regular interactions in April 2018 held in Chennai. Furthermore, the UAE, along with BETWEEN with their counterpart and Indian In October, a delegation led by Saudi Arabia, has emerged as ENFORCING Naval Ships often undertake port Minister of State for Defence India’s preferred partner in the AGENCIES calls to Saudi Arabia. In February Affairs Mohammed al-Flasi visited Gulf for cooperation in counter- 2018, India’s Chief of the Naval India and called on then Defence terrorism with better intelligence Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba visited Minister Nirmala Sitharaman sharing and coordination between the kingdom to discuss expanding to discuss state of defence and enforcing agencies. maritime security cooperation security ties. The two sides and furthering of ties between have agreed to develop defence OMAN the two navies. cooperation to include regular joint exercises, exchange of visits Oman is the first GCC country UAE by military officials and explore with which India established a possibilities for cooperation in the robust defence cooperation. The Defence cooperation has emerged area of defence manufacturing and most important aspect of this as a key area of the growing space exploration. cooperation is maritime security. bilateral ties between India and Maritime security is an Oman’s geostrategic location at the UAE. It has emerged as a focus important area of mutual the mouth of Persian Gulf and area with the renewal of the MoU cooperation and Indian naval Arabian Sea makes it inevitable on defence cooperation in 2014 and coast guard ships go on for guarding the SLoCs in the and the formation of the Joint regular port calls to the UAE. Indian Ocean. India and Oman have been cooperating in the area of anti-piracy operation in the Indian Ocean for a long time. Oman provides berthing facilities for Indian warships patrolling the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. Expanding the cooperation in this field, India and Oman signed an annex to the existing MoU on military cooperation to allow Indian warships to have access to the Duqm Port and use its facilities for maintenance of its military vessels. This will allow India to enhance its naval activity in the Indian Ocean region, significant given growing Chinese naval India-Saudi Arabia activity in the Indian Ocean region. ties have grown over India-Oman defence the last two decades cooperation have traditionally RAKSHA ANIRVEDA OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2019 49 RAKSHA ANIRVEDA DEFENCE COOPERATION GCC country with which India has defence ties. Though this is mainly focussed on internal security areas and not between the two militaries. The deputy NSAs of the two countries have been holding “security dialogue” at regular intervals to have better coordination in the fields of cyber security, combating terrorism and countering radicalism. The two sides have expressed interest in developing ties in space technology and maritime security. Bahrain though tiny in size is significant because of the presence of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet which is key to the security of the Persian Gulf vital for India’s energy security. LOOKING AHEAD There are three key aspects where there is scope for further strengthening cooperation. Firstly, given the growing tensions in the Gulf and the impending security threats, India has been forced to send its Naval Ships to accompany its oil and cargo carriers. This requires regular cooperation and exchanges with the Gulf countries as well as better understanding with the US Navy (Top) UAE gives highest civilian honour to Prime Minister Narendra Modi; PM Modi with his Bahraini counterpart which has a strong presence in Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, at Manama, Bahrain the region. The key is to have a extended beyond the maritime Naseem Al Bahr off the coast in regular exchange of ideas with domain. A number of Omani cadets Muscat in December 2017. Regular Saudi Arabia and the UAE as well and officers have been trained in exchanges of high level visits as Iran for better understanding India’s National Defence Academy including in September 2018 by of the security situation in the and all three branches of the armed the Omani minister responsible for region and also safeguard India’s forces — the army, air force and defence affairs,Bader bin Saud al- interest in this vital region. navy — of India and Oman conduct Busaidi, underline the expanding Growing military cooperation is joint exercises. In March 2019, the defence ties. In May 2016, Defence key for India to better secure its Indian Army and Royal Army of Minister Manohar Parrikar had interests in the region. Oman conducted the third edition visited Muscat to discuss security Secondly, there is significant of joint exercise Al-Nagah in Oman. and defence ties and signed four scope for widening the military- In January 2017, the five-day joint MoUs for cooperation in the sector. to-military ties, especially with exercise Eastern Bridge between Saudi Arabia. The key is to two air forces was conducted BAHRAIN enhance confidence between in Jamnagar, Gujarat, while the the two militaries and this two navies conducted the 11th In addition to Saudi Arabia, UAE can develop through regular edition of joint naval exercise and Oman, Bahrain is another exchanges of military delegation 50 www.raksha-anirveda.com www.raksha-anirveda.com EXPANDING THE COOPERATION IN THIS FIELD, INDIA AND OMAN SIGNED AN ANNEX TO THE EXISTING MOU ON MILITARY PM Modi with Omanese leader Sultan Qaboos COOPERATION TO ALLOW INDIAN and increased interactions WARSHIPS TO among defence officials and HAVE ACCESS TO security analysts.