Nikos Kavvadias, enchanted by his travels to the ports of India, wrote in his poem “Cambay’s Water” (Pousi), “the lanterns of India are strange and you don’t see them, as they say, at first glance.”
India is a country with a rich maritime tradition, both due to the significance of its geographical position on the map and the importance of the navy in the country’s economic development. At this moment, the emphasis that India is placing on its navy is its response to the speed race it is having with China regarding which country is the economic giant in the Eastern industry.
This response from India has garnered attention not only from neighboring countries but globally as it seems.WDMMW (World Directory of Modern Military Warships) rated the Indian Navy with a true value score of 99.1. He said that India had 102 active units in January, which included one aircraft carrier, 17 submarines, 10 destroyers, 13 frigates, 23 corvettes, 29 offshore patrol vessels, and nine amphibious assault ships.
The Modi Government, as soon as it assumed power, demonstrated through its political moves the importance that the establishment of a navy would have for the country and its image abroad. The main objective of the country’s navy is to strengthen trade, bolster the economy to take its rightful place on the economic development map of the East, and provide immediate assistance in natural disasters and crises. Additionally, the government invested in new military equipment, giving the green light for the first two submarines out of the six new-class submarines that the Indian Navy plans to build. The goal of the Indians is to strengthen relations with their neighbors and establish naval power in the country through the strengthening of diplomatic relations with other countries as well as assistance in the fight against piracy. Regarding this issue, the already existing problem of piracy by Somali pirates in the area has been compounded by the rise of Houthi pirates, who are endangering ship movements in the Red Sea, as stated by the Indian Ocean Commission. (IOC).The Indian Ocean Committee, a United Nations-appointed group for combating piracy, has identified at least six acts of attempted piracy against ships in the Indian Ocean since November 2023, including the seizure of the cargo ship Ruen.
Regarding Somali pirates, incidents follow one after another. On May 28, 2024, the fishing vessel Al-Kambar 786 was located southwest of Socotra Island in Yemen when it was seized by pirates, according to a statement from the Navy. The ship was intercepted by the Indian warships INS Sumedha and INS Trishul, and over 12 hours of intensive tactical maneuvers followed to ensure that the crew, consisting of 12 Pakistani citizens, emerged safely from the entire incident. On 29/03/2024, the Indian Navy announced that it had freed an Iranian fishing vessel that had been seized in the Arabian Sea by nine armed pirates.
Beyond the fight against piracy, the Indian Navy has begun to forge close relationships with countries in both the East and Europe. The most recent stop he chose to visit was the United Arab Emirates.
On October 16, the ship INS Shardul completed its visit to Dubai as part of long-term developmental training. The interactions during the visit included professional exchanges, joint exercises, and community activities. The visit to the port facilitated a series of professional and diplomatic meetings, including joint training exercises, inter-naval interactions, and community support efforts as part of a long-term educational development, marking a significant step in strengthening naval cooperation between India and the UAE. But why was so much emphasis placed on the United Arab Emirates?
The strategic position of the UAE and their role as a leading economic center in the Middle East make them an indispensable partner in India’s efforts to maintain maritime security in the Indian Ocean. The Indian Navy, through visits such as that of INS Shardul, continues to promote a collaborative environment, ensuring that both nations can effectively respond to the challenges posed by maritime threats in the region. The visit to Dubai is a milestone in India’s ongoing efforts to strengthen maritime relations with key partners in the Indian Ocean region. (IOR). The interaction between the crew of INS Shardul and the UAE Navy focused on enhancing operational coordination and mutual understanding of maritime operations.
Before this visit, the Indian Navy had made visits to Europe.On October 23, 2024, on October 24, India and the EU conducted their first joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Guinea, in an effort to strengthen cooperation for maritime security in support of the region. The exercise followed the third meeting of the EU-India Maritime Security Dialogue on October 5 in Brussels. The Indian Navy has attempted to get closer to both Greece and Spain, countries that hold a pivotal position in the Mediterranean, aiming to achieve a commercial economic opening in the region and to build good diplomatic relations in the area.
The frontline stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, INS Tabar, under the command of Captain MR Harish, arrived in Malaga, Spain on August 25, 2024, for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening the existing bilateral relations between India and Spain.
Regarding the strengthening of naval relations between India and Greece, the Indian Navy destroyer INS CHENNAI visited the port of Souda, Greece from July 27 to 29, enhancing the Naval and Defense Cooperation between the Indian and Greek Navies. The crew laid a wreath at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Souda Bay, paying tribute to the fallen Indian soldier during World War II as part of the British Forces that fought in Crete.
In my opinion, the emphasis that India is currently placing on its navy is the best investment for the country’s future, as it is a country trying to solve the dual challenge of economic support in this overpopulated nation, where a large part of the population is engaged in agricultural production and another large part is involved in heavy industry. To be able to strengthen the country’s maritime sector and for many people to find jobs in this field will bring about the desired outcome, which is the industrial flourishing of the country along with the simultaneous improvement of people’s living standards. The country’s naval reinforcement seems to wink with optimism at the saying of the Indian writer Munshi Premchand that the true wealth of a nation does not lie in its material possessions but in the education and empowerment of its people.