Transition to Guardianship Th e Indian Navy 1991–2000 Transition to Guardianship Th e Indian Navy 1991–2000 Vice Admiral GM Hiranandani PVSM, AVSM, NM, PhD (Retd) Published by Principal Director of Administration Integrated Headquarters Ministry of Defence (Navy) Naval Headquarters, New Delhi Lancer • New Delhi • Frankfort, IL www.lancerpublishers.com Published in the United States by Th e Lancer International Inc 19558 S. Harlem Ave., Suite 1, Frankfort, IL. 60423. First published in India by Lancer Publishers & Distributors 2/42 (B) Sarvapriya Vihar, New Delhi-110016 © Principal Director of Administration (PDOA) Naval Headquarters, New Delhi, 2009 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers. For additional information, contact Lancer. Printed at Sona Printers, New Delhi. Printed and bound in India. ISBN-13: 978-1-935501-26-8 • ISBN-10: 1-935501-26-7 Online Military Bookshop www.lancerpublishers.com IDR Net Edition www.indiandefencereview.com Dedication “NO BIRD SOARS TOO HIGH IF IT SOARS WITH ITS OWN WINGS” Dedicated to those who had the vision and the self confi dence to take the fi rst step and soar high to introspect, innovate and persevere in helping the Navy to achieve self reliance. Contents Foreword xiii Perceptions from Declassifi ed American Acknowledgements xv Foreign Policy Documents 17 Preface xvii Th e Defence Reviews after the 1971 War 19 Glossary & Abbreviations xxxi Ship Acquisitions, Modernisations and Conversions between 1976 and 1990 20 SECTION I Submarine Acquisitions and Modernisations EMERGENCE OF A NEW WORLD ORDER : between 1976 and 1990 20 THE CONTEXT OF NAVAL GROWTH 1991–2000 Aircraft, Helicopter Acquisitions and Modernisations 20 Preamble 1 Construction of Major Indigenous Warships 20 1. Sea Lines of Communication & Choke Points in Retrospect 21 the Indian Ocean 4 Ships and Submarines Acquired Between 1947 and 1975 21 Security of the SLOCs 4 Ships and Submarines Acquired Between 1976 and 1990 24 Safeguarding the SLOCs 5 Reference Note 27 Major Choke Points in the Indian Ocean 5 Th e Emergence of New Th reats 6 Looking East — Past, Present and Future 27 Towards Regional Maritime Cooperation 31 2. Major Navies in the Indian Ocean 8 History of Early Indian Ocean Trade 33 Th e Unfolding of Events 8 Diego Garcia 36 Development in the 90s 9 Exercise with Foreign Navies 39 American Naval Presence in the Indian Ocean 9 French Naval Presence in the Indian Ocean 9 SECTION II SAFEGUARDING THE SEA LANES : Chinese Naval Presence in the Indian Ocean 10 THE EMERGING ROLE OF THE INDIAN NAVY IN THE Japanese Naval Presence in the Indian Ocean 10 NEW WORLD ORDER Preamble 43 3. Th e Development of the Navy, 1947–1990 12 Overview 12 4. Operation Muff et in Somalia 1992 to 1994 45 China’s Invasion in 1962 and the 1963–64 Th e UN Administered Humanitarian Operations 45 Defence Review 13 Operation PROVIDE RELIEF 45 Th e Changeover to Russian Naval Acquisitions 13 Operation RESTORE HOPE 45 Th e September 1965 Indo–Pakistan War 14 Indian Participation in UN RESTORE HOPE 45 Th e Russian Acquisitions 16 Operation MUFFET 46 Th e Seaking Anti-Submarine Helicopters 16 Operation SHIELD and Operation BOLSTER 47 Th e Advent of Anti-Ship Missiles 16 Operational Signifi cance of the Somalia Operations 50 Th e 1971 War 17 Lessons Learnt 51 5. Operation Tasha 52 around Off shore Structures’ 78 Background 52 Off shore Developments in the 1990s 78 Operation Tasha 52 Th e New Vessel and Air Traffi c Management Operational Constraints 53 System (VATMS) 79 Organisational Structure 54 12. Th e Marine Commandos 81 Major Anti-Smuggling/Gun Traffi cking Operations 54 Preamble 81 Long Term Eff ects on Naval Forces 55 MCF Organisation 81 Future of Ops Tasha 55 Role and Training 82 6. Operation Swan on the West Coast 56 Interaction with Other ‘Special Forces’ 82 Background 56 Deployments between 1991 and 2000 82 Naval Detachments 56 13. Goodwill Visits to Foreign Ports 83 Command and Control 57 Ports Visited by Fleet Ships and Submarines 83 Intelligence Aspects 57 Goodwill Visits By Cadet Training Ships 88 Future of Ops Swan 58 14. Visits of Foreign Naval Ships 1991–2000 89 7. Operation Leech, February 1998 : Anti Gun-running Operations in the Andaman Sea 59 Reference Note Background 59 Indian Ocean Deep Seabed Mining 92 Operation Leech in 1998 60 Assistance Rendered by the Navy in Peace Time 94 Background of Sri Lankan Tamil Confl ict 105 8. Operation Rainbow — November 1999 62 Background of the Somalia Confl ict 108 9. Operation Talwar during the Kargil War in 1999 63 SECTION III Genesis of the Confl ict 63 CONSOLIDATING FORCE CAPABILITY : ENHANCING Th e Intrusion 65 THE NAVY’S CAPABILITY TO FULFILL ITS EMERGING India’s Reaction to the Intrusion 65 ROLE Th e Indian Navy’s Operation 66 Preamble 111 Analysis of the Operation 67 15. Th e Russian Acquisitions 113 Th e Pakistani Perspective 68 Overview 113 Post War Retrospect 68 Indo–Russian Defence Cooperation 113 10. Th e Navy’s Participation in the Expeditions to Indo–Russian Defence Cooperation after the Cold War 113 Antarctica 72 Indo–Russian Financial Transactions 114 Preamble 72 Th e Early 90s 114 Th e Navy’s Involvement in the Antarctic Expeditions 72 Situation in the Mid and End 1990s 115 India’s Antarctica Expeditions 73 Infrastructure for Maintenance and Refi t of Charting of Antarctica Waters 74 Russian Acquisitions 115 Chronology of Expeditions 1989 till 2007 74 Agreements to Support New Commercial Arrangements 115 Russian and Indian Defence Industries 116 11. Defence of Off shore Hydrocarbon Assets 77 Th e First Off shore Discoveries 77 16. Warship Production and Acquisition 120 Th e Defence of Off shore Assets 77 Background 120 Provisos in the UNCLOS regarding ‘Safety Zones Indigenous Warship Design after 1990 121 viii TRANSITION TO GUARDIANSHIP Vessels Designed and Constructed During 1991–2000 122 Trainer Aircraft 157 Indo–Soviet Interaction in Indigenous Warship Th e Helicopter Fleet 157 Design and Production 122 Personnel and Training 159 Warship Modernisation and Service Life Development of Aircraft Operating Facilities Ashore 160 Extension Programmes 123 Air Arm Logistics 160 Retrospect 124 Aircraft Refi t, Maintenance and Overview of Ship Inductions 1991–2000 125 Modernisation Infrastructure 161 17. Project 17 Stealth Frigates 128 Overview of the Growth of the Air Arm 161 Preamble 128 21. Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) 163 Genesis of Project 17 128 General Factors Aff ecting Aircraft Carrier Design 163 Propulsion System Integration 129 General Features of IAC 164 Stealth Design 130 22. Maintenance, Repair and Refi t Facilities 166 18. Th e Submarine Arm 133 Naval Dockyard, Mumbai 166 Preamble 133 Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam 169 Submarine Warfare and Submarine Tactics 133 Naval Ship Repair Yard (NSRY), Kochi 170 Anti-submarine Warfare and Tactics 135 Developments Between 1991 and 2000 137 Naval Ship Repair Yard, Port Blair 171 Th e Problems of Submarine Medium Refi ts (MRs) 138 23. Th ird Naval Base at Karwar 172 Induction of Russian 877 EKM Sindhughosh Background 172 Class Submarines 138 Th e Choice of Karwar 172 Submarine Refi t, Maintenance & Support Facilities 139 Revised Phase I 173 Nuclear Propulsion for Submarines 140 Completion of Phase I 174 Overview of the Submarine Arm 1991–2000 141 24. Logistics 176 19. Commencement, Cessation & Resumption of Indigenous Submarine Construction 144 Overview 176 Overview 144 Introduction of the Logistics Cadre 176 Reconstructed Chronology of Indigenous Development 1991–2000 177 Submarine Design 144 Reminiscences 178 Construction of SSK 1 and SSK 2 in Germany 145 25. Integrated Logistics Management System [ILMS] 180 Construction of SSK 3 and SSK 4 in MDL 145 Reasons for Slippages in Construction 145 Logistics Management 182 Negotiations for SSK 5 and 6 147 Development of ILMS 180 Commencement of Submarine Construction Project 75 149 Inventory Management after ILMS 181 20. Th e Naval Air Arm 151 26. Th e Contribution of Research and Development to Self-Reliance 182 Combat Capability of the Air Arm 1991 151 Background 182 Aircraft Carrier Developments 151 Scientifi c Progress 1975 to 1990 182 Sea Harrier Fighter Aircraft 153 Alize Anti-Submarine Aircraft 155 Scientifi c Progress 1991 to 2000 183 Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft 155 Retrospect 184 TRANSITION TO GUARDIANSHIP ix 27. Underwater Ranges 186 Th e New Management Strategy (NMS) 224 DG Ranging 186 Progress Between 1993 to 2000 227 Noise Ranging 186 32. Harnessing Information Technology 228 Th e Underwater Ranges Project 187 Overview 228 28. Anti Missile Defence (AMD) Systems 188 IT Policy for the Navy 228 Preamble 188 Five Year Computerisation Plan of Navy 1995–2000 229 Need for AMD 188 Major IT Projects 229 Sequence of Events 189 33. Changes in Command and Control Structure 231 Th e Barak System 189 Background 231 Reference Notes Th e Navy’s Command and Control Structure in 1990 231 Background of Warship Building Yards 192 Th e VAdm KASZ Raju Committee Report of 1991 232 Commissioning and Decommissionings 194 Committee for Reorganisation of HQs, 1994 233 Commissioning Commanding Offi cers of Major Naval Offi cers-in-Charge (NOIC) 233 Inductions 199 Th e Navy’s Command and Control Structure in 2003 235 SECTION IV 34. Changes in Naval Headquarters Organisation 236 INTROSPECTION, PERSPECTIVE & PERSONNEL PLANNING : STRUCTURAL DILEMMAS AND Organisation of Naval Headquarters in 1992 236 CHALLENGES Developments Between 1990 to 2000 238 Preamble 201 Organisation of Naval Headquarters in 2004 239 29. Committees on Higher Defence Management — 35. Personnel and Talent Management 241 Excerpts on Aspects Aff ecting the Navy 203 Introduction 241 Th e Estimates Committee Report 204 Offi cers 241 Th e Report of the 2000 Kargil Review Committee 211 Th e Short Service Commission (SSC) 241 Review of the Management of Defence by the Induction of SSC Lady Offi cers 243 Arun Singh Task Force 213 Command at Sea 243 30.