India continues her quest for a coherent maritime policy. Her continental mindset however ensures that not one inch of her territory will be captured from across land borders. But perhaps incursions from the seas, which held India captive for over four centuries, do not evoke similar emotions!
For example, the sale of F-16 or main battle tanks to Pakistan arouses an intense anxiety to neutralize any advantage that our land neighbour may accrue and therefore the matter is taken up at all diplomatic and military levels.
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It is also well known that in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Indonesia, the centrality of the Army which the Burmese term ‘tatmadow’ governs both the countries internal as also external perceptions and is well integrated in their Constitutions. As the Burmese State Law and Order Restoration Committee (SLORC) recently stated: ‘We look up to India as an elder brother and are aware of your freedom struggle. But remember your leader was called Mahatma Gandhi, and not General Gandhi. There lies the difference between our two military forces. The tatmadow is central to our governance.’ But nonetheless, it is economic imperatives and not the Holy Grail of a liberal democracy that attracts military assistance from other industrial democracies in spite of their emphasis on a New World Order and the need to ensure human rights.
“¦the sea denial role of the enlarging Pakistan Navy merits being taken into consideration when evaluating a coherent maritime policy for India.
Pakistan has acquired 2 Hash; at (French Aqosta) submarines with US Harpoon missiles. Her previous four Hangor class (Daphne) submarines have been also retrofitted with the versatile Harpoons. In addition she has acquired the Babur (Devonshire) heavy destroyer and 2 Shamsher frigates (Leander class) and Tariq (Amazon class) from the UK with anti-submarine helicopters. Pakistan has also acquired on lease/sale 2 Alamgir (Gearings) and 4 Badr (Brooke) class frigates with Harpoons and other missiles together with 4 Saif (Garcia) class frigates. Besides she has a Squadron of Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft armed with Exocet air-to-surface missiles which are likely to be replaced by the US Orion armed with Harpoons and with AWACS early warming aircraft. China supplied the Huangfeng and Hegu missile and craft and transferred missile technology for the Hatf-VII missiles, She also supplied the nuclear-capable M-II ballistic missile!’; in 1991 which has attracted the attention of the missile cbntrol regimes.8 The United States provided $ 3.2 billion of military and security-related aid to Pakistan from 1981 to 1986 in view of Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. A second aid package of $ 4.2 billion was provided in 1987. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries supplied substantive military aid when the Pressler amendment stopped acquisitions from the US. In 1994, Pakistan spent Rs 23,795 billion on defence acquisitions and debt servicing which is equal to their net federal revenue of receipts at existing taxation levels.9
The 25 million overseas Chinese lend economic and moral strength for China to possess a credible maritime force in the Asia-Pacific region. Beijing intends to further improve the Karakoram highway to Pakistan which will eventually connect China to seaports in the North Arabian Sea.
Hence, the sea denial role of the enlarging Pakistan Navy merits being taken into consideration when evaluating a coherent maritime policy for India. In addition to this, one must take into account Iran’s new base at Chah Bahar outside the Gulf from operating her 2 Kilo class submarines which were acquired from Russia. But West Asia is closely monitored by the United States forces in view of the highly strategic oil routes of the Gulf.
Indonesia has recently bought about one-third of the former German Navy and have in addition placed an order for Type 209 submarines. According to the Military Balance, Indonesia has also 17 frigates, 2 submarines and several amphibious and missile craft mostly from the UK, the US and Germany.
Australia has launched the first of the six Collins class submarines. In addition, Australia operates 5 modified UK Oberon class submarines. She has also acquired 3 Perth (US Adams) class destroyers with Harpoons, 5 Adelade, 2 Swan and 1 Parametta class frigates with missiles and 19 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.10 This modernization is a part of their ongoing naval plans and is not seen as a 1hreat reaction in the Indian Ocean.
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