India Offers Weapons, Software to Neighbours to Tackle Rising Threats in Indian Ocean

The Indian Navy has been trying to maintain its dominant role in the Indian Ocean as China’s economic and diplomatic influence increases. Aside from enhanced diplomatic attentiveness, Narendra Modi's government has also been reaching out to nearby countries to increase defence and security arrangements in the region.

Promising to do more than its fair share, India has emphasised the need for countries in the region to cooperate in tackling the newer and rapidly evolving threats in the Indian Ocean.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India’s Foreign Secretary, urged the navies of 12 of the Western Indian Ocean's 17 other littoral states to promote inter-operability to confront the challenges. The littoral states are those with a coastline on the Western Indian Ocean and comprise (other than India), the Comoros, Djibouti, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, the Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Pakistan, the Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

“Non-traditional threats and new technologies have combined to form a whole new spectrum of sub-conventional security threats and problems... Another set of challenges arises from geo-political volatilities. A lack of commitment to settled international law has led to increased militarisation of the region,” Shringla said at a Goa Maritime meeting on Monday.

Shringla has underlined that the region will face an increasingly complicated, rapidly evolving, and more demanding security situation, with an ever-increasing number of threats and uncertainties.

Third Edition of Goa Maritime Conclave #GMC2021 starts at 08. 30 AM with presence of Adm. Karambir Singh, #CNS; Ajay Kumar, Defence Sec; and Harsh V. Shringla, Foreign Secretary.

Stay tune for updates. pic.twitter.com/Ue8tSHupVr

— PIB in Goa (@PIB_Panaji) November 8, 2021

“We are willing to work with partners in upgrading maritime hardware and software. We have supplied equipment, vessels, and aircraft to friends such as Vietnam, Mozambique, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros, Bangladesh, and Myanmar,” Shringla said.

India has increased its defence collaboration with these countries by providing credit lines to supply weapons and vessels.

In February this year, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the country’s defence manufacturers to focus on countries that are worried about their security in the present geo-political world.

To achieve the ambitious $5 billion export target by 2024, India has listed 156 defence items for sale, including BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, and the Combat Management System.

India supplied HMS-X2 sonars to Myanmar, offshore patrol vessels to Mauritius, and spare parts for Jaguar aircraft to Oman.

Most recently, New Delhi signed a deal to supply Armenia with SWATHI Weapon Locating Radar. India’s credit lines to Mauritius, Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka to buy Indian defence equipment are also progressing well.