Indian Navy: A key tool of diplomacy at ASEAN
17 Dec 2012 6:35 AM IST
Finally, the Indian leadership seems to have realised that one of the key tools of diplomacy for a littoral state is its navy. Considering the sub-continental size of India and its neighbours, the natural tendency of the country’s policymakers has been to look inwards over land, than face the seas with its wide expanse of water that is, the Indian Ocean or the Arabian Sea or even the Bay of Bengal.
But the turn of the USA towards switching its attention and naval assets from its Cold War obsession of the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, thus impacting on the Asia-Pacific region and South East Asia more than usual, has influenced much of the thinking at the top levels of the Indian Navy.
In a conversation with a senior naval officer in South Block, about how the force is viewing this American move, that has more famously been called a ‘pivot,’ was evident in a major move. A sail ship of the Navy, INS Sudarshini has begun a voyage from the east coast at Vishakhapatnam to 18 harbours in eight countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
This is to commemorate two decades of Indian relations with the grouping of eight nations. The Naval role will culminate next week with a two-day (20-21 December) summit of the Indian leaders and the ASEAN. In the talk with the naval official, the issue of the force projecting Indian ‘soft power’ of democracy, multiculturalism and maritime leadership to the nations of the Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) was expounded.
The official also said that while the American ‘pivot’ may not have excited the Indian political leadership yet, the future actions of the Indian Navy will remain in taking the ‘initiative’ on the waters. He pointed out that the US has become a great advocate of the Indian leadership position amongst the Indian Ocean nations.
But the turn of the USA towards switching its attention and naval assets from its Cold War obsession of the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, thus impacting on the Asia-Pacific region and South East Asia more than usual, has influenced much of the thinking at the top levels of the Indian Navy.
In a conversation with a senior naval officer in South Block, about how the force is viewing this American move, that has more famously been called a ‘pivot,’ was evident in a major move. A sail ship of the Navy, INS Sudarshini has begun a voyage from the east coast at Vishakhapatnam to 18 harbours in eight countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
This is to commemorate two decades of Indian relations with the grouping of eight nations. The Naval role will culminate next week with a two-day (20-21 December) summit of the Indian leaders and the ASEAN. In the talk with the naval official, the issue of the force projecting Indian ‘soft power’ of democracy, multiculturalism and maritime leadership to the nations of the Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) was expounded.
The official also said that while the American ‘pivot’ may not have excited the Indian political leadership yet, the future actions of the Indian Navy will remain in taking the ‘initiative’ on the waters. He pointed out that the US has become a great advocate of the Indian leadership position amongst the Indian Ocean nations.
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