Uphold rules-based order at sea: Rajnath to Navy
For the second time in as many days, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has asked the Indian armed forces to plan, prepare, keep a vigil and conduct exercises, keeping China and its activities in mind.
On Saturday, while reviewing maritime security at the Naval commanders conference at Karwar on the west coast, the Minister said, “India stands for a free, open and rules-based order in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”
Singh urged the Commanders “to assess the changing circumstances and ensure planning, resourcing and exercising, accordingly, while remaining alert and prepared. Although he did not mention China, the reference to ‘free, open and rules-based order’ and the UNLCOS was towards the India’s neighbour, which had refused to accept the verdict of UNCLOS in the South China Sea maritime dispute.
Beijing has made artificial islands in the sea and self-assumes territorial rights over vast portions and has questioned navigation rights of other countries.
On April 3, the minister was at the Army Commanders’ Conference, following which a statement by the Ministry of Defence said, “He complemented the armed forces for standing firm and vigilant along the northern borders and said same should continue”.
In Karwar, the Minister called for reorienting the future roles of the Armed Forces, adding: “It is our responsibility to ensure peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region”.
The Defence Minister also flagged off INS Sunayna, which is headed for month-long deployment in the Indian Ocean and is the first Indian warship to carry a 44-member crew from nine friendly countries —- Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.
The Minister took another dig at China’s attempts at hegemony at sea, saying “The Indian Navy ensures that, in Indian Ocean, no nation suppresses another on the basis of overwhelming economy and military power. We ensure that the nations’ interests are protected without compromising their sovereignty”. He also inaugurated repair and logistic facilities under the ‘Project Seabird’ at Karwar. This include marine infrastructure designed for berthing ships, submarines and harbour craft, an armament wharf, two piers, specifically equipped for refits, marine utility complexes, residential infrastructure.
In March last year, berthing facilities were created at Karwar to allow simultaneous docking of two sea-going aircraft carriers – INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant. They are the biggest warships in the Naval fleet each being close to 50,000 tonnes.
The INS Vikramaditya is 284-m long, while the Vikrant is 262-m long. The warships need a specific depth of water near the coast and length of jetty needs to match their sizes when they come for routine maintenance.
India