Indian Defence Review

On the contrary, a Marine formation can easily adjust to a ground role by shedding some of its specialised equipment if given this alternative task. Unfortunately, both our army and navy do not think that ‘amphibious warfare’ fits into their priorities for ‘resources allocation’, and expects the other service to take the initiative. As a result even our trained army units are only good enough to play the role of ‘follow on’ echelons in an amphibious operation. This conundrum exists all over the world! The US Army has never been able to match the prowess of the Marines in amphibious landings since the Anzio operation in 1944 when it became a laughing stock. The Royal Navy learned this hard lesson during the ill-fated Dardanelles operation in WWI.

Structure of the Proposed Indian Marine Force

The proposed organisation of India’s Marine Force is given in Appendix I. It would be prudent to give the Coast Guard the responsibility of raising this force, as it will then get high priority in the scheme of things. This force should preferably be located near a port in the South such as Vizhinjam or Tuticorin or Nagapattinam or Cannanore where Defence land is already available. Alternatively, Paradeep Port in Odisha is also a suitable location. In the absence of warlike conditions, it will take ten years for India’s Marine Force to become fully equipped and operational. Each of the ‘Marine Special Expeditionary Units’ must remain deployed in an operational area once in six years in order to gain fighting experience.

The proportion of regulars to officers on deputation in a Marine Unit should be 50:50, so that a wide spread of personnel get the ‘Marines’ experience. Only those on deputation who have at least three years of service should be given the chance to serve in the Marine Force. No attachments or detachments of the Marine Force without the prior sanction of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) should be permitted, nor should any ceremonial or station duties be assigned to them, so that very high training standards and operational deployment effectiveness is maintained. The Marine Special Expeditionary Unit should also be showcased in UN Peacekeeping roles, so that they gain confidence and a good reputation.

Special Forces allowance should be authorised for Marine Forces personnel serving in Combat Units, as their training and operational roles are highly strenuous and risk oriented. Availability of a battle-ready Marine Force grouping at short notice is essential for our national security, as it will allow India to respond on the same day itself to any unfavourable developments in our neighbourhood across the sea. Nothing should be allowed to become a finality due to default and delayed actions on our part at the national level, which could lead to unwanted long-term repercussions. India deserves to be taken seriously and given due respect in other nations’ self-benefitting calculations in our neighbourhood.

Even a country like Spain has two LPDs and many military observers were surprised at the speed of its response across the Atlantic when there was a devastating earthquake in Haiti, a few years ago. Japan and Australia are also in the process of raising full-fledged operational Marine Brigades by 2020. In India, the fight is still going on between private shipyards and government-owned shipyards as who will get the order to make indigenous LPDs. Some of the private shipyards which have suitable production capability are in the red due to lack of sustained orders, as there is no lobby existing presently in the MoD to take up the case of building up our Marine Force capability.

We may be shocked out of our slumber if a pro-Chinese regime gets entrenched in the Maldives and leases out a naval facility to China on a long term basis, just like the Diego Garcia arrangement between the UK and the US. Presently, China has one LPD with Marines on permanent ‘anti piracy’ patrol deployment as part of its ‘19th Convoy Flotilla’ of its South China Sea Fleet operating in the Western Arabian Sea along with a nuclear submarine and support ships. It already has an assured support Base at Gwadar in Pakistan. Although Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka are friendly towards China, they are unlikely to provide permanent Base facilities.

Suitable Tasks for the Indian Marine Force

Tasks which can be assigned to the Indian Marines Force are:

• Undertake pre emptive actions involving amphibious landings, seizure of beach heads or a port installation, as a prelude to the induction of the Main (Army) force.
• Linking up with an airborne force from a beach head.
• Carry out strategic interdiction in enemy territory consequent to seaborne landing.
• Seize enemy strategic asset located on the coast or in nearby inland area.
• Prevent sudden enemy capture of important island territory.
• Undertake sustained anti-piracy or counter terrorist operations in sea space.
• Carry out domination operations in riverine terrain, mangrove terrain or estuaries.
• Assist natural disaster relief or evacuation operations at offshore locations.
• Do escort duties for Indian shipping in important sea corridors.
• Patrol uninhabited island territories and coastal stretches.
• Act as a high mobility strategic reserve over water, air or land.
• Assist large-scale search and rescue operations at sea.
• Assist seabed exploration and offshore oil and gas extraction efforts.
• Carry out laying of sea-mines and placement of detection devices during wartime.
• Assist peacetime ecology conservation efforts in coastal waters.
• Assist a naval blockading force in wartime.
• Seal off certain stretches of coastline from clandestine landings for limited period.
• Local protection of naval flotilla when in anchorage in hostile territory.
• Assist in carrying out a diversionary operation during wartime.
• Defence of strategic nuclear assets deployed offshore.

In view of the above mentioned tasks which can get assigned, it is essential to have a standing Marine Force to master the nuances of sea-based warfare. For example, the Israeli Marine Force ensures that not even a hostile scuba diver can land on its coast undetected. They have perfected a system of radars and other detection devices based on secret technologies to ensure this high level of security. The French make the best in class ‘Mistral’ Helicopter and VSTOL PDs and landing crafts in the world. The UK’s Royal Marines are the best experts in arctic warfare, mountaineering skills and in sea-based sabotage and extreme commando operations. The Falklands War saw the Royal Marines in full action along with their Gurkha Brigade and Special Air Service Units. They displayed the innovative technique of taking on concrete pillboxes from stand-off distance using ATGMs.

Other Countries’ Marine Forces Impacting India

• China has two Brigades of highly trained and equipped Marines and four LPDs. It is building more Type 71 LPDs and also a 30,000-tonne Type 81 Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD).
• Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps have two Marine Brigades. What is holding them in check is the formidable US presence in the Persian Gulf.
• Pakistan has two battalions worth of Marines organised into ‘Dolphin’ Companies.
• Indonesia has a Division worth of Marines to protect its archipelago and oilfields. It trains every two years with the Chinese Marine Force and conducts joint exercises.
• Bangladesh and Myanmar also have Marine Battalions.
• The US has a Marine Base in Bahrain and has stationed two MEUs there/on ships. Another MEU is located at its Indian Ocean nuclear base in Diego Garcia at all times.

The strategic requirements for India to possess an effective Marine Force should, therefore, not be lost. If Maldives comes under the sway of a pro Pakistani regime or a pro Jehadi regime, the strategic situation will suddenly shift for India. In such an eventuality, it is better to take swift pre-emptive actions rather than being confronted with an ‘Inner Tibet being occupied by China’ type situation as had happened in 1950, when we were left humming Panchsheel tunes.

The recent poll outcome in Sri Lanka may lead to a favourable strategic situation for India, if Chinese nuclear submarines stop docking in this country’s ports. Imagine what an outcry China can create if an Indian nuclear submarine or a group of naval ships dock at Kaohsiung harbour in Taiwan? India has not yet exploited the rich tuna fishing grounds in our Exclusive Economic Zone and in the Northern Indian Ocean Region. Chinese and other Far Eastern countries’ fishing fleets and processing factory ships have been lately active in exploiting these resources. Close trade, economic and naval cooperation with Australia and South Africa will stand to benefit us. India needs to focus on becoming the leading trading partner of the countries in the Indian Ocean rim by 2025.

Having a good Marine Force capability definitely reflects on a nation’s prowess in world affairs, especially on regional calculations. It would be like a good omen and catalyst for national resurgence. Italy’s Navy has the reputed ‘San Marino’ Regiment as part of its Special Forces, and not a single Italian cargo or passenger vessel has been targeted by sea pirates or terrorist groups for the last decade. When we talk peace with other countries, it should be backed with overwhelming military strength to get what we want, as the Russians always do. This acts as a great catalyst to come to mutually acceptable and beneficial agreements, which even skilled diplomats or smooth talking politicians cannot achieve. Every free nation has to fulfill its manifest destiny without being a menace to other nations. Therefore, negotiations backed up with adequate strength are a must in realpolitik. ‘Force’ is required more as an insurance should the other party act irrationally. Otherwise, why should China have waited so long to get back Hong Kong? India needs to shed its “soft state” image, while remaining a peace loving country.

Proposed Organisational Restructuring for the Indian Navy

Conclusion

India has not so far raised an independent and permanent Marine Force due to its land-power oriented thinking and lack of promotion of its maritime potential and interests. If we wish to learn only after mistakes are committed and after suffering irrecoverable loss, then continuation of this policy can be justified. On the other hand, a Marine Forces will help the nation to project strategic ambiguity and force the opponents to allocate additional forces and resources for their own security calculations. To capture and operate a port or to establish an artificial harbor in hostile territory certainly requires an efficient and well-trained Marine Force. The job of the Marines cannot be carried out by the Infantry however, well trained it is, because the priorities of army commanders always keep changing with different personalities at the head of affairs, and infantry units keep rotating. For the army or the navy, this will always remain an additional or secondary task. The capabilities of the MARCOS of the Navy are basically limited to fleet protection, harbour installations security and carrying out some degree of special operations in enemy waters. They cannot carry out mainline amphibious operations. Amphibious warfare ships and equipment are complex and have to have 100 per cent reliability, in order to save lives from accidents and failures, besides from enemy actions. Marines are also required for projecting strategic military capability over long distances, at sea or on land. There are no known substitutes for Marines in such contingencies.

The Marines played a significant role in winning the war in the Pacific for the US during WWII against the fierce and entrenched Japanese forces. This component was as important as its carrier groups. In India’s neighbourhood, the Coco Islands of Burma and Gwadar Port in Pakistan have already been let out to the Chinese. Once Hambantota Port in Southern Sri Lanka gets completed with Chinese finance and material help, it is likely that the PLA Navy will get replenishment facilities there in reciprocity.

India should not forget that it was conquered and made a colony for nearly two centuries by European traders who came by sea! They found it so easy to rule and exploit the enormous resources of this subcontinent, by keeping Indian society divided and choosing their favourites. The lack of a naval vision and strong maritime culture will do us in again, if we do not plan to dominate the Indian Ocean Region. In the present context, raising of a dedicated Indian Marine Force is a necessity which we cannot postpone anymore or find stopgap solutions, to indulge our wishful thinking nature and escapist mindset. Even the great Roman Empire declined due to the weakening of its maritime power.