Indian Navy 2022: The rising tide lifts all
Here is an article from the Indian Navy for The Sunday Guardian on the occasion of Navy Day on 4 December.
The Indian Navy is the pre-eminent maritime status-quo power in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Amidst various global crises and the war in Europe, the Indian Navy has assiduously executed its mandate with indefatigable attitude in 2022.
Maintaining full operational capability, the Navy’s seamlessly-networked platforms were deployed across and beyond the IOR, providing maritime domain awareness and posturing intent. Periodic firing of long-range precision weapons undertaken to hone “Ordnance on Target” skills, also served as strategic signalling to potential adversaries. Contingencies across a wide spectrum of operations were war-gamed during various exercises, catering towards emerging threats and capabilities.
Combat-ready platforms on mission-based deployments were often re-deployed to address emergent contingencies, reinforcing the Navy’s resolve to be the first responder in the IOR. Naval warships also contributed towards Mare Liberum (freedom of the seas) and nation-building by ensuring unhindered maritime trade in critical waters of Strait of
Hormuz—op Sankalp continued throughout 2022; Naval warships have escorted over 400 Indian flagged vessels carrying over 3 crore tonnes of cargo since June 2019. Indian warships also remained continuously deployed in the Gulf of Aden on anti-piracy patrol, with nearly 100 warships deployed since 2008.
The Navy continued to progress its procurement plans to deter adversaries and meet an expanding range of missions. During 2022, construction of 37 ships and submarines at Indian shipyards under Atmanirbhar Bharat was progressed. In the Swarnim Vijay Varsh, 50 years after old Vikrant’s stellar role in the 1971 war, India’s first indigenously designed and constructed aircraft carrier Vikrant was commissioned this year. The Navy also progressed the induction of P-15B stealth destroyers, P-17A stealth frigates, P-75 submarines, multi-role helicopters and a variety of aircraft and unmanned vehicles.
A multi-dimensional force capable of operating above, below and on the ocean surface, over land, across the electronic spectrum and also in space, the Navy undoubtedly has some of the world’s finest combatants. Trained at nearly 40 institutions across the country, including the eponymous Indian Naval Academy, highly-motivated women and men ensured the nation’s maritime defence and furthered its maritime interests during 2022. Post 26/11, the Navy was mandated to ensure overall maritime, coastal and offshore security
of the nation. Towards this, pan-india coastal security exercise Sea Vigil-2022 was undertaken, in close coordination with various government agencies.
In furtherance of Nari Shakti, the Navy took giant strides in 2022, with the Agniveer scheme and induction of women officers and sailors in new roles—helicopters, air squadrons, and onboard frontline warships. Considerable
progress was also made towards Digital India, Skill India and Startup India in niche areas—networking, unmanned and autonomous vehicles, new-age weapons, innovations and big-data analytics. In the 75th year of Independence, the Navy also re-designed its ensign, to more accurately reflect our rich maritime traditions.
As part of the national vision of SAGAR (Security
And Growth for All in the Region), warships undertook global outreach missions; and specifically, in the region furthering the Indian Navy being a Preferred Security Partner. Capability and capacity building assistance to partner nations continued in 2022: provisioning of warships and aircraft, coastal radar systems for IOR partners, IONS Working Group meetings, high-level conferences on mutually beneficial issues, information sharing through IFC-IOR, repair of maritime assets, training of foreign naval personnel in India, SAR and MEDEVAC missions and hydrographic surveys.
Due to the unique nature of its operating environment, the Navy has traditionally been the primary enabler of military diplomacy, engaging with like-minded navies to facilitate a rules-based order and counter threats in the maritime domain, both traditional and non-traditional. In consonance with our foreign policy imperatives and towards enhancing maritime partnerships, the Navy engaged with over 35 partner-nations in 2022 across various formats: joint exercises, passage exercises, coordinated patrols, joint EEZ surveillance, fleet review etc. Notably, Tarkash visited 13 countries in 3 continents and undertook anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Guinea, while sail-ship Tarangini visited 14 countries for Lokayan-2022.
To commemorate our 75th Independence Day, the Indian Navy deployed its ships across six continents (Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, North America and South America), further cementing its status as a stabilising force of the maritime global commons. As our nation continues on the path of development and prosperity, the Indian Navy has ensured that the rising tide also lifts friendly maritime forces, whilst continuing to remain combat-ready, credible, cohesive and future proof.