Dominating the Triad of Underwater, Surface and Air India has already emerged as a significant player in the global maritime theatre, with a substantive blue-water navy now operating in various long range deep water settings.
Dr Vijayalakshmy K Gupta IDAS (Retd)
I
joined the office of CDA Navy in 1976 after my training as an Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) officer. That year for the first time, the Indian Navy was allotted a major share of the defence capital budget. The total outlay was Rs. 258 crores and the Navy’s share of Rs. 92.76 crores was the highest amongst that of the services. Further, two-thirds of this was earmarked for fleet modernisation. In the aftermath of the Bangladesh war, the Indian Navy – ‘the Silent Service’ - slowly emerged on its own out of the shadows of the Army and the Air Force. The Indian Navy was ranked as ninth largest in the world. However, it was only in the late 1990s that the Government of India acknowledged the geopolitical necessity of developing the Indian Navy for strategic, defence, economic and commercial reasons. A strong maritime build up by the Indian Navy ensued over the following years. And, thus in the year 2011, when I superannuated as Secretary Defence Finance, the Navy’s capital budget was Rs. 13,149.02 crores. The modernisation budget estimate of Indian Navy in the financial year 2020-21 was Rs. 25,620 crores, registering an increase of 15.9% over the previous year. Now, the Indian Navy is ranked fifth
40 sailors & warriors
among the Navies of the world in terms of displacement (after the US, Chinese, Russian and British Navies). But, on the basis of the power in the waters, India gets placed 7th in the powerful navies’ list. The United States, Russia, China, Japan, United Kingdom and France are placed ahead of India generally in this list. The ranking is based on the naval power and weapons including aircraft carriers, vessels, destroyers, and corvettes. The Indian Navy is a true threedimensional force, and its assets comprise all the three naval triad components of power - on surface, under the water, and in the air. Increasingly, the Navy has also invested on space-based cyber and networks assets. A focussed and multi-pronged plan has been pursued to harness national capabilities and enhance not just the fleet, platforms, missiles and weapons, but also build supporting infrastructure, logistics, training facilities, dockyards and additional bases of operation. This was achieved by identifying and building upon the core national strengths in the maritime domain, with a view to focus investment in niche areas and best practices for a long-term development. The infrastructure and indigenous shipbuilding industry has also added to the Navy’s fast pace progress as a virtuous cycle of demand and supply, driving operational might and industrial capabilities. The Navy today justifiably prides itself as a ‘Builder’ with almost all ships and submarines being designed and built in Indian shipyards and equipped with indigenous steel, weapons, sensors, communication and machinery.
Navy has always been forward looking and developing indigenous facilities, besides encouraging manufacturing of spares and re-engineering systems. India has already emerged as a significant player in the global maritime theatre, with a substantive blue-water navy now operating in various long range deep water settings. The Indian Navy has parallelly forged operational arrangements with the littoral Indian Ocean region countries and this has given it operational turn around facilities in more than two dozen ports in the region, thereby increasing its reach and sustenance manifold. Former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba had unveiled the blueprint for a relentless naval build-up intended to achieve India’s position as the leading naval power in the Indian Ocean region. He said, “If I crystal gaze ahead to 2050, we will be a 200 ship, 500 aircraft world class Navy.” I am sure the nation stands as one to realise the vision of the Indian Navy – to be truly a powerful force for ensuring maritime security, safety and stability in the region for all and exercising sovereignty over sea spaces of India. So, Indian Navy will continue to exercise the national will in India’s maritime area of interest and exert power in its area of influence. And, also enhance its domination in the sea waters which is vital for our national security in its comprehensive sense in the coming decades. --The author retired as Secretary Defence Finance and served as member TRAI. Presently she is the founder member of Society for Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Studies (SAMDeS).
