This has been a momentous year in many ways. India has assumed the rotational Chair of G 20 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying stress on Human-centric globalization. The thought is beautiful: One Earth, One Family, One Future.
On the Russia and Ukraine war, both the countries are friends. It’s very difficult to take sides, but Mr Modi did tell Russian President Vladimir Putin that It’s Not The Age of War. Moscow has been very supportive of India and during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation struggle, Moscow sent submarines to the Bay of Bengal when the US deployed its 7th Fleet to support its military ally, Pakistan, despite Islamabad’s murders of millions of Bengalis. New Delhi and Moscow are too close to weaken their traditional ties.
The world is full of tensions due to clash of interests of various countries, and in some cases due to illogical ambitions of their leaders. I am citing China here which despite a 1993 agreement with India not to use force on the borders, tries to capture territory across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and then it is two steps forward and once step backward gain for them. China has used prehistoric barbed wire studded clubs to attack the Indian soldiers. The Indian Army is now repaying them in the same coin by using lathis – 5 or 6 ft long wooden sticks also studded with similar barbed wire.
In the high seas, where China displays aggressive manoeuvres against all its neighbours except North Korea, India is coordinating with friendly powers, and Indian Navy ships and aircraft, including the two Predator MQ 9A leased from US General Atomics, as well as the Boeing P 8-I patrol the waters 24 x 7. In fact, according to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, India has emerged as a net security provider in the Indo-Pacific.
December 4 is the Indian Navy Day, and appropriately, India’s first home-built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, with more that 70 percent indigenous content is already floating and over the next few months, will be operational, initially with Mig 29Ks the Navy already flies. A decision to select 26 aircraft, either French Dassault Rafale-M or Boeing F 18 is just around there. Strategic autonomy to arm them with nuclear weapons is a critical determinant so the French Rafale could be the winner. Another factor is that IAF already has 36 Rafales, so there would be commonality in maintenance.
On modernization, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar told India Strategic that the long-pending Acceptance of Necessity (AON) for 30 or so GA MQ 9B High Altitude SkyGuardians is to be “fielded very shortly.” Meanwhile, MDL has delivered the Navy’s 5th Scorpene submarine Vagir.
Significantly, the Navy has also received the first set of 24 Lockheed Martin’s MH 60R shipboard helicopters, and after tests and training, and according to C-in-C WNC Vice Adm Ajendra Bahadur Singh, they would be commissioned first into the Western Naval Command on board INS Vikrant.
India has never been an aggressive country. But with two hostile neighbours, the Government has initiated strong measures to Deter and Defend with a free hand to the armed forces if attacked.
With Best Wishes for a Happy New Year,
— Gulshan Rai Luthra
