Look beyond Af-Pak: 

Look beyond Af-Pak: 

Context

• United States seems to be looking at India’s role in the Indian Ocean region as a counter-balance to China under the Revised South Asia Policy.

Indian Ocean Region

• Indian Ocean Region extends from Australia in the east to South Africa in the west and leading economies of the world China, India, Japan and Australia depend on it.
• Indian Ocean is of great importance today arguably more than ever. It is a major conduit for international trade, especially energy.
• The littoral zone of Indian Ocean is vast, densely populated, and comprised of some of the world’s fastest growing regions.
• The Ocean is a valuable source of fishing and mineral resources. And yet its governance and security are under constant threat of being undermined, whether by non-state actors such as pirates, smugglers, and terrorists, or by furtive naval competition between states.
• Of late, the docking of Chinese submarines in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, forcing an Indian submarine to surface, building of islands in the South China Sea, forging friendships with smaller Indian Ocean countries, an ambitious Maritime Silk Road (MSR) touted as ‘String of Pearls’ and the massive expansion of PLA-Navy of late has created a buzz of discomfort in India.

Strait of Malacca

• It runs between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, has long been a major gateway for trade to and from Asia, and is once again rapidly rising in importance.
• Already the world’s second-busiest waterway, it has been in continuous use since antiquity, with Roman, Greek, Chinese and Indian traders all taking advantage of this natural channel.
• The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 only increased its significance as the Strait became a key link between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, reducing the distance between Europe and the Far East.
• More recently it has served as the main transit route supplying vital commodities to fuel the fast-growing economies of Asia and beyond.
• Of the 87 million barrels of oil produced per day in 2011, approximately 15.2 million passed through the Strait of Malacca, the shortest sea route between African and Persian Gulf suppliers and Asian markets.
• As the link between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, the Strait of Malacca is the shortest sea route between India and China and hence is one of the most heavily traveled shipping channels in the world.

Why is Indian Ocean Region Important?

The Indian Ocean is important for three reasons:

• Firstly, it enjoys a privileged location at the crossroads of global trade, connecting the major engines of the international economy in the Northern Atlantic and Asia-Pacific.
• The energy flows through the Indian Ocean are of particular consequence. Some 36 million barrels per day which is equivalent to about 40 per cent of the world’s oil supply and 64 per cent of oil trade—travel through the entryways into and out of the Indian Ocean, including the Straits of Malacca and Hormuz and the Bab-el-Mandeb.
• Secondly, the Ocean’s vast drainage basin is important in its own right, creating opportunities, especially given the high rates of economic growth around the Indian Ocean rim, including in India, Bangladesh, Southeast Asia, and Eastern and Southern Africa.
• Finally, the Indian Ocean is rich in natural resources. 40 per cent of the world’s offshore oil production takes place in the Indian Ocean basin.
• Fishing in the Indian Ocean accounts for almost 15 per cent of the world’s total and has increased some 13-fold between 1950 and 2010 to 11.5 million tonnes.
• Aquaculture in the region has also grown 12-fold since 1980. Although global fishing is reaching its natural limitations, the Indian Ocean may be able to sustain increases in production.
• Mineral resources are equally important, with nodules containing nickel, cobalt, and iron, and massive sulphide deposits of manganese, copper, iron, zinc, silver, and gold present in sizeable quantities on the sea-bed.

What is South Asia Policy?

• South Asia as a region remains to be at the forefront of the United States’ regional interests and concerns.
• President Trump’s administration has brought a mix of change and continuity in the country’s foreign and security policies, especially those in South Asia.
• The policy ranges from the situation in Afghanistan to ever-tightened relations with Pakistan alongside the rejuvenation of relations with India.
• The United States has numerous interests to be protected via this region and concerns to be pacified. Alongside the approval of more troops for Afghanistan, the meeting between President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi starts to shape up US’ policy towards South Asia.

Pros of the new South Asia policy

More military deployment in Afghanistan

• The decision of U.S accompanying South Asian countries in throwing out terrorism from the region provides for a significant change in the nature of military peace.
• The security scenario will result into sophistication of military operations. The new strategy will be dictated by “the conditions on the ground” not “arbitrary timetables”.  Such a move is necessary to avoid the collapse of the US-backed government in Kabul.

Strong hold on Pakistan

• The second aspect of the new strategy is a strong focus on Pakistan to make sure it abides by its commitments.
• Recently, U.S has expressed its concern over Pakistan actions in aborting terrorist activities. Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror.
• U.S has asked Pakistan, a change of approach, a break with the status quo, threatening that no partnership can survive a country’s tolerance of militants and terrorists.

India playing an important role

• The third part of the Trump strategy is his outreach to India, saying a “critical part” of his administration’s South Asia policy is to further develop the US’s strategic partnership with India.
• U.S expects from India to play a greater role with the credible image it holds in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has also in return nodded in the friendly manner.

What is Malabar exercise?

History

• In the year 1992, Malabar exercise kicked off which was 23 years ago, a bilateral drill between India and U.S.
• In the year 2015, Japan became the permanent member of the Malabar exercise. Japan since 2007 have participated as a non-permanent member along with Australia and Singapore.
• The main aim of the exercise remained to address the shared security threat to maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific.

Recent developments

• On 10th July, 2017 India, Japan and United States kicked off the Malabar naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal.
• The tri-lateral naval exercise is the widest in scope than all its previous editions and will continue for 10 days.
• Malabar 2017 emanates at a crucial time when the Chinese navy is trying hard to increase its presence in the Indian Ocean region.The main aim of the exercise is to address the shared threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific.
• Primary emphasis this year is on anti-submarine warfare.

Strategic and Maritime importance:

• The trilateral (India-US-Japan) is of strategic as well as maritime importance due to following reasons:
• It is important from US view since they look India as balancing power of in Asia countering China’s aspirations.
• The exercise is also importance from peace, security and stability in Indian Ocean.
• The technology shared among pioneer of naval countries can be helpful in emergencies like Tsunami, floods etc.
• The exercise is important from India’s viewpoint as India is getting the chance to get updated with new technology and mechanism related to naval warfare, management and security.As ASEAN countries look to India for maritime security as well as balancing power in Asia. Such exercise can add values in their trust toward IndiaThe increasing ties between India and Japan are resulting into speculation of Australia joining it from next year, thus, adding more value to the exercise.
• Factors like good diplomatic ties among the countries, sharing of means and measures, getting more knowledge of Indian Ocean and its terrain maintain its importance.
• The exercise envisages greater role related to trade, Security, Commerce and Regional balances.
• How can India be more proactive in the Indian Ocean Region?
• India’s leadership role will be important in determining the strategic future.
• India is at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared in a speech in Mauritius in 2015. “The Indian Ocean Region is at the top of our policy priorities.”
• Of late, India has grown its military presence in the region, pretty much exponentially, by the Chinese showcasing that India needs to build an effective deterrence.
• The new ship acquisition policy announced by Arun Jaitley in July 2014, in order to raise India’s home fleet by four times its current capacity, has been a welcome move.
• Way forward
• Privatization of shipbuilding industry needs to be undertaken if India is to make great strides in sea.
• Policy to build new ships fitting specifications by Navy so as to be ready for ocean transport could be explored.
• Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), is on the tables keeping in view the increase in Chinese submarine excursions.
• It had been reported last year that the shipping sector received 4272 crore million under Make In India scheme. But the funds are earmarked mainly to upgrade existing port facilities

The Maritime Agenda 2010–2020 pegs an investment of Rs 200 billion by 2020 for dredging and with opportunities which cannot be met by Dredging Corporation of India, forming a policy on dredging and opening that sector to private players could help explore possibilities of extending it to meet military needs.