Noted naval historian Alfred Mayan pointed out, that the "sea is the great highway for both military and commercial operations."
With a coastline of over 7,500 kms, India has a massive challenge securing its seafaring assets. This is specifically true ofnaval establishments since the country has recently expanded its military prowess in the Indian Ocean. In its drive toward Atmanirbharata (or self-reliance), the Indian Navy is investing in indigenized and innovative technology-based defense solutions. An example is the 2015-2030 Indian Navy Indigenization Plan for developing technology systems.
Some of the major challenges to India’s maritime security includes:
As the Indian Navy has improved its command over the seas, China's military presence in the Indian Ocean has also increased. Other threats and challenges have also emerged, including from terrorist groups and pirates, especially in the Indian Ocean.
In this blog, we shall discuss the security challenges faced by the Indian Navy and why an integrated security approach is necessary.
The Indian Ocean is emerging as a strategic location for geopolitical posturing, driven by the complex interplay of relations between India, China, and the U.S. For instance, China has developed and commissioned commercial facilities in this region being used for quasi-military purposes. On the other hand, India favourably views the U.S. presence in the Indian Ocean as a counter to China's military aggression.
Hence, India plans to expand its naval presence in the Indian Ocean with its 175-ship presence by 2035. Additionally, India’s 2030 Maritime Vision presents an effective blueprint to develop inland waterways, ports, and shipping facilities for the maritime industry. The naval presence will also be suitably ramped in line with this growth.
Besides its maritime operations, India must protect its commercial facilities like oil and gas refineries, fishing ports, and international trade from external threats. With over 70% of its global trade depending on its surrounding seas, India needs to secure its commercial operations. Some of the common threats include illegal fishing, maritime smuggling, and pirates.
Besides, India meets its rising demand for oil from the Gulf region, mainly through sea transport. The Indian Ocean supports the 3 main sea lines of communications (SLOC) that are crucial for energy security and economic development in adjoining regions. Overall, the Indian Ocean transports 75% of the global maritime trade and 50% of global oil consumption.
Among the non-traditional or unconventional threats, maritime terrorism by state-sponsored (or non-state actors) represents a serious challenge to India. This form of terrorism can manifest in multiple ways including:
After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, India can no longer ignore the possibility of terrorists moving freely across its coast. India must also address other unconventional maritime threats including:
Drug cartels (operating in the popular Golden Triangle) often smuggle drugs to the U.S. and European countries through Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
The 2008 Myanmar cyclone and the 2004 Tsunami are some of the recent natural disasters in the Indian Ocean, which caused property damage and loss of human lives. The global impact of climate change and rising sea levels makes India’s coastline more vulnerable to environmental changes.
The 2004 Tsunami led to the formation of the Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System in the Indian Ocean. While natural disasters are inevitable, technology-driven systems can act as an early warning system to reduce the devastations caused by these events. Additionally, India needs an integrated security system to respond quickly with assistance during such natural disasters.
Besides India, other Asian and African economies also face a host of maritime challenges. However, with the current lack of maritime governance, they cannot coordinate their efforts to improve maritime security. Additionally, they differ in law enforcement capabilities, thus hindering effective collaboration and coordination.
Due to security concerns, countries are not willing to share real-time information. Despite several mutual agreements, Indian and U.S. authorities do not always share the complete information required for achieving security objectives.
To overcome these challenges, there’s an urgent need for “like-minded” countries to implement bilateral (or multilateral) initiatives like the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
In the face of growing challenges, India needs a holistic approach to achieving maritime security. India’s United Nations ambassador T.S. Trimurthi says that the country needs to focus on three important themes namely, maritime security, peacekeeping, and counter-terrorism.
The U.N. Security Council also believes that "a holistic approach to maritime security can safeguard common security and prosperity interests" in the region.
Of course, to be able to provide security in the region, India’s naval bases need to be secure as well. This is where a comprehensive technology-driven integrated approach becomes necessary.
Coastal surveillance systems serve as the “eyes and ears” of maritime security. Here are some of the innovative technologies that India can deploy to improve its maritime security and management:
These systems are specifically designed for long-range imaging of marine applications. Vehicle tracking and monitoring systems (VTMS) can use long-range cameras to track targets based on information received from automated identification systems (AIS) and surveillance radars. Besides offshoring monitoring, VTMS cameras can be installed on marine vessels (including small and rugged RIHB work boats).
Currently, the Indian Navy and Coastal Guard have installed and deployed electrooptical systems at many marine and coastal installations.
These systems are designed to protect India’s maritime assets from underwater attacks. This includes undersea divers, delivery vehicles, and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Underwater threats are not easy to detect and track. Underwater technologies like Intruder Detection Sonar (IDS) and Underwater Intruders Detection and Alert System (UIDAS) are required to identify, classify, and track a range of new underwater threats.
At Athena Security, we understand that every maritime threat is unique and challenging. Hence, our solutions for electrooptical and underwater sonar systems are customized for every customer. Here are some of our offerings:
Do you want to know more? Get in touch with us today.