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Indo-China naval hotline in offing
As China gets more assertive in the South China Sea and of late, is increasingly engaged in warning Indian warships to stay clear of the region, New Delhi is considering setting up hotlines between the navies of the two countries to prevent any mishap in the high seas.
Stating this on Friday, Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said, “Face-to-face meetings and hotlines do make sense and are being looked at by the Government. In fact, countries with which we feel there can be a possibility of a misunderstanding, such a mechanism is under consideration.”
These meetings will be somewhat on the pattern of the face-to-face meetings between the navies of the US and erstwhile USSR during the cold war era.
India and Pakistan already have a hotline between the director generals of military operations (DGMO), the Navy chief said.
Incidentally, India and China are soon going to have a border mechanism to address issues like incursions by troops into each other’s territory on the 4,500 km long Line of Actual Control (LAC).
China’s assertiveness has already caused concern amongst countries like Vietnam and others located on the rim of the South China Sea.
Beijing recently also raised objections when India bagged the contract for oil and gas exploration in the Vietnam waters. When China warned a fleet of Indian warships passing through South China Sea enroute Vietnam four months back, New Delhi categorically said free trade and economic activity is the norm and every country should respect this principle.
Fielding a volley of questions on growing Chinese maritime prowess and assertiveness in South China Sea and Indian Ocean, the Navy chief chose to play safe during the customary annual press conference on the eve of the Navy Day on December 4.
Answering a question about growing Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean, Verma said, “Beijing says it is also affected by piracy in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia and therefore has deployed its ships. Like India, China is also a growing economy and most of its trade is done through the Gulf of Aden.”
Assuring the country that the Navy is capable of protecting the national interest, Verma said, “Why name one country and get defensive” when the Indian Navy is also modernising rapidly.
Giving details, he said the Navy will have more than 150 warships including submarines and more than 500 aircraft and helicopters by the end of 2027. At present, the Navy has 132 ships including 14 submarines and 216 aircraft and helicopters, he said adding 49 warships were now in various stage of construction. The chief said out of these 49, 45 are constructed by the Indian shipyards.
