China’s attempts to change the status quo on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Covid-19 pandemic complicated the security situation, with the Indian Navy deploying its P-8 Poseidon aircraft and Heron drones for surveillance on the northern frontiers, naval chief Admiral Karambir Singh said on Thursday.
Singh told the annual news conference ahead of the Navy Day on December 4 that air power at sea is an essential component of naval operations and the Indian Navy is committed to acquiring a third aircraft carrier, a move that would also be in line with the country’s ambition of becoming a $5-trillion economy.
The Navy, he said, is prepared to face challenges arising from the pandemic and China’s attempts to change the status quo on the northern borders, which have “significantly increased the complexities in the security situation”.
The Navy’s P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft and Heron unmanned aerial vehicles were deployed to northern bases to keep an eye on the Ladakh sector of the LAC in line with requests from the Army and Air Force, he said. Two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones, which have an endurance of about 33 hours, have been leased from the US to fill in the gaps in the Navy’s capabilities, he added.
Indigenisation is a key part of the Navy’s acquisition of warships and all 24 surface vessels and submarines inducted in the past six years were built in India, while 41 more vessels are being constructed at the country’s shipyards, he said. The Project 75I-class submarine programme too is on track, with the Navy having identified vendors and partners to build six submarines, and Smash-2000 rifles are also being acquired to protect vessels against attacking drones, he added.
Despite the disruption caused by the pandemic, the Indian Navy participated in 13 bilateral and multilateral drills this year and training of naval personnel from friendly countries resumed in November. Thirteen countries have been invited to send representatives to India’s information fusion centre in Gurugram and three foreign liaison officers have joined while three more are expected soon.
