India Foundation Journal January-February 2021
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Table of Contents Editor’s Note The Blue in India’s Flag .................................................................................... Dhruv C. Katoch 3 FOCUS: Centrality of the Indo-Pacific Indo-Pacific is the Power Axis of the 21st Century ................................................ Ram Madhav 6 Australia's View of the Indo-Pacific Concept ..................................................... David Brewster 10 Indo-Pacific: The Emerging Geostrategic Landscape - A Japanese Perspective........................................................................................... Satoru Nagao 18 India and Oceania: Potential and Opportunities ..................... Cleo Paskal and Lord Fakafanua 29 Indo-Pacific: Through the Lens of History ................................. Côme Carpentier de Gourdon 37 Matitime Rules-Based Order in the Indo-Pacific ............................................. Hamsa Devineni 46 International Relations India-Vietnam Relations: Convergence of Interests- An Interview with H.E. Pham Sanh Chau, Ambassador of Vietnam to India .......................... Shristi Pukhrem 55 Society and the State The Collapse of Societies and Regimes: An Analytical Framework................................................................................ Jay Bhattacharjee 62 Jawaharlal Nehru and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar: Ideological Intersection in the Origins of the Idea of India ............................... Hindol Sengupta 68 India Foundation Journal, January-February 2021 {1} India Foundation About India Foundation Journal India Foundation is an independent research centre focussed on the issues, challenges, and opportunities of the Vol. II Indian polity. The Foundation believes in understanding Issue No.1 contemporary India and its global context through the civilizational lens of a society on the forward move. Based on the principles of independence, objectivity and academic January-February 2021 rigour, the Foundation aims at increasing awareness and advocating its views on issues of both national and international importance. Editor With a team of dedicated professionals based at its office Maj Gen (Dr) Dhruv C Katoch in New Delhi, the Foundation works with partners and associates both in India and overseas to further its stated objectives. Copyright © India Foundation Journal Printed on behalf of India Foundation About India Foundation Journal Printed at Pearl Printers, C-105, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-1, The India Foundation Journal is led by an Editorial Board New Delhi-110020 of eminent scholars and leaders from various spheres of Indian Published at India Foundation, public life. The bi-monthly journal covers a wide range of J-1 and H-1, Ground Floor, Upasana Building, 1 Hailey Road, issues pertinent to the national interest, mainly focusing on Near K.G. Marg, New Delhi - 110001 international relations, national security, legal and constitutional issues and other issues of social, religious and RNI No ISSN 2347-1522 political significance. The journal seeks articles from scholars with the intent of creating a significant body of knowledge Annual Subscription - Rs. 3000/- with a nationalist perspective and establish a recognised forum for debates involving academicians and policymakers. For advertising details contact Phone: 011- 41654836 / 43012351, [email protected] www.indiafoundation.in {2}{2} India Foundation Journal, January-February 2021 EDITOR'S NOTE The Blue in India’s Flag Dhruv C. Katoch* ndia’s Flag is oft called the Tricolour, for its security capacities and economic strength. three horizontal stripes in colours of saffron, Deepen mutual understanding on maritime Iwhite and green. But what is often missed is challenges and strengthen our collective ability the fourth colour in the flag—the blue wheel in the to address them through regional mechanisms centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made for maritime cooperation. reference to this, in an address he delivered at the Seek a more integrated and cooperative future commissioning of the ‘Barracuda’ in Mauritius on in the region that enhances the prospects for 12 March 2015. Referring to the blue wheel, he sustainable development for all. said, “To me, the blue chakra or wheel in India’s The primary responsibility for peace, stability flag represents the potential of the blue revolution, and prosperity in the Indian Ocean rests on or the ocean economy”.1 those who live in the region. However, India The Barracuda—a 1,300-tonne offshore patrol recognises the fact that there are other nations vessel (OPV) built by Garden Reach Shipyard & around the world with strong interests and Engineers (GRSE), was the first warship ordered stakes in the region and India is deeply engaged by a foreign country from an Indian shipyard.2 In with them. his address at the commissioning of the From the above, emerged the acronym ‘Barracuda,’ Prime Minister Modi sketched out SAGAR or Security and Growth for All in the India’s vision of the Indian Ocean. He spoke of Region, which has become the fulcrum of India’s the criticality of the Indian Ocean to the future of vision in the Indian Ocean and in the wider Indo- the world, and stated that all would prosper when Pacific region. It is a tool for India’s development, the seas were safe, secure and free for all. The and towards that end, this shared marine space vision he articulated contained five key elements. would need to be protected. In a sense, this These were:3 represents a transition in the Indian thought India will do everything to safeguard its process, which for long has thought of itself as a mainland and islands and defend its interests. continental power, but now also sees itself through Equally, India will work to ensure a safe, a maritime lens. secure and stable Indian Ocean Region. Indian history records a long maritime tradition, India will deepen economic and security covering a period of over five millennia. As far cooperation with her friends in the region, back as 2500 BCE, the Harappans built tidal docks especially her maritime neighbours and island at Lothal for berthing and servicing ships, and were states and will continue to build their maritime perhaps the first in the world to do so. India’s strong *Maj. Gen. Dhruv C. Katoch is Editor, India Foundation Journal and Director, India Foundation. India Foundation Journal, January-February 2021 {3} naval tradition finds reference in her sacred pandemic caused by Covid 19, a virus that scriptures, as also in Kautilya’s Arthashastra and emanated from China, will certainly delay the in other texts. The Chola empire saw the zenith of timelines by perhaps another three to four years, ancient Indian sea power, but with the decline of so we could be looking at 2028 to achieve the laid the Cholas towards the end of the 13th century, down target. But a more important point to note is Indian sea power declined. The Arabs gradually that to achieve the target, greater dependence has edged out the Indians from the sea faring trade to be on the blue economy, which conceptualises and were themselves sidelined when the the oceans as “shared development spaces”. Portuguese came on the scene and assumed The World Bank has defined Blue Economy control of the seas in the early sixteenth century. as the “sustainable use of ocean resources for There was a brief period which saw the resurgence economic growth, improved livelihood and jobs, and of Indian sea power with the rise of the Marathas. ocean ecosystem health”.5 India’s development Maharaja Shivaji had started creating his own navy, effort will increasingly be dependent on the Blue which reached the zenith of its power under the Economy and the Oceanic space thus becomes command of notable admirals like Sidhoji Gujar vital for India. According to the Ministry of and Kanhoji Angre. But with the death of Angre, Shipping, around 95% of India’s trading by volume Maratha naval power declined.4 and 70% by value is done through maritime An interesting aspect to be noted is the co- transport. India’s Sagarmala programme is designed relation of India’s economic prosperity and its to promote port-led development in the country control of the seas. As India lost control of the through harnessing India’s 7,500 km long coastline, seas, external forces entered to rule over the land, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and which in turn led to India’s economic decline. Post strategic location on key international maritime independence, the Indian security establishment trade routes. A total of 189 projects have been had its focus on the land borders, as India had identified for modernisation of ports involving an inimical neighbours. But now, maritime trade is investment of Rs 1.42 trillion (USD 22 billion) by becoming a key indicator in India’s growth story. the year 2035.6 Peace and stability in the Indo- And hence the need for a vibrant Ocean policy, Pacific is hence a key requirement for India’s emphasising the need to keep the sea lanes free, development agenda. safe and secure for all. Growing Chinese naval and air power in the Soon after assuming office for the second term South China Sea and its expansionist designs in in May 2019, the Narendra Modi-led government the region, have understandably raised concerns, set a target of taking the economy to USD 5 trillion not only amongst the ASEAN countries, but also over the next five years. This was a daunting and among other regional powers, primarily the US, an ambitious undertaking, but given that the Japan, Australia and India. China’s