It146;s about sea power

The attack by the OSA class missile boats on Karachi in the 1971 war was our finest hour. Admiral Nanda, then the key naval figure, was aske...

The attack by the OSA class missile boats on Karachi in the 1971 war was our finest hour. Admiral Nanda, then the key naval figure, was asked by this writer how he had obtained the prime minister8217;s clearance for such a daring operation. His reply 8216;8216;When I outlined the plans involving the innovative use of our newly acquired missile boats from the USSR at a meeting with Mrs Gandhi she had remarked 8216;Oh! How can we do that?8217; I told her that if she took the political decision, the naval one would be mine and she had responded 8212; all right then, go ahead8217;8217; Thus, December 4 marks our Navy Day to commemorate that audacious assault, led by Babru Bahan Yadav 8212; hailing from the 8216;backwaters8217; of Rewari and winner of the navy8217;s first MVC.

In the Falklands war, the First Sea Lord in the UK had similarly sought directions from Margaret Thatcher. She recalled in her book, 8216;8216;At this dark moment comedy intervened. Admiral Sir Henry Leach was in civilian dress, and on his way to the meeting was detained by the police in Parliament8217;s lobby. He had to be rescued by a whip. When he finally arrived I asked him what he could do. He was quiet, calm and confident: 8216;I can put together a force led by the carriers Hermes and Invincible. It can be ready to leave in 48 hours8217;. All he needed was my authority to begin to assemble the task force8230; I gave it him and he left immediately to set the work in hand8230;8217;8217;

That naval forces play a key role in the implementation of a nation8217;s foreign policy has been proved in the two Gulf wars. Efficacy of sea power was also abundantly established after conflicts in the Falklands and the Balkans. Any effective military security system is best based on a coherent and well founded foreign policy encompassing a three dimensional navy whose task it would be to prosecute war at sea and extend its traditional reach further into the land battle in such a manner that it will bring victory. As Nehru said, 8216;8216;To be secure on land we must be supreme at sea.8217;8217;

Having wisely opted in 1953 for an integral air component, the Indian Navy has been a balanced force. India should be proud that within fifteen years of our Independence we became the first developing country to acquire an aircraft carrier, Vikrant, and just another six to get submarines.

Nehru8217;s vision to make us self-reliant was brought to fruition in the 70s by the naval design organisation rolling out frigates; then several other types of ships. And even submarines, with the PM laying the keel of our indigenous submarine in 1984 in the Mazagon Docks. If the opposition parties had shown more responsibility, thoughtfulness and nationalism we would have been exporting them by now. Instead, we are now seeking an enormously more expensive programme of 8216;Scorpine8217; submarines which will take another decade to join the fleet.

Maritime power at and from the sea was essential in the last century and it still is the case at the dawn of this century. As Admiral Sergei Gorshkov, heading the Soviet navy for a quarter of a century, used to constantly remind his politburo, the navy has its task cut out as 8216;an instrument of state policy8217;.