It’s time for Indian Navy to establish its presence and growing reputation in S-E Asia & Indo-Pacific

Home NewsIt’s time for Indian Navy to establish its presence and growing reputation in S-E Asia & Indo-Pacific The Indian Navy explains that naval diplomacy involves using naval forces to support a country’s foreign policy.

(Image courtesy: https://wallpapercave.

com) New Delhi: In May 2024, the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet visited Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei as part of a goodwill mission.

The visits aimed to strengthen friendship and cooperation between India and these countries, building positive relationships, and promoting mutual understanding.

During its operational deployment to the South China Sea, the Indian Navy visited several Southeast Asian nations.

This mission highlighted India’s commitment to strengthening maritime partnerships and expanding cooperation with regional countries.

These visits have been happening regularly for many years.

The Indian Navy explains that naval diplomacy involves using naval forces to support a country’s foreign policy.

It helps demonstrate strength and a willingness to discourage potential threats.

Along with its military and law-enforcement functions, India leverages its navy as a key instrument to protect national interests and pursue foreign policy goals—both in maritime regions and beyond.

The Diplomat quotes Commander PK Ghosh as saying that trips by the Indian Navy to friendly ports are an important part of India’s foreign policy.

Even though these visits are mostly ornamental and only happen during times of peace, they are very important for strengthening marine ties and sending strategic messages to both friendly, and potential, enemy countries.

Scholar Barry Blechman says that just deploying a naval force—no matter its size, goals, or actions—in a region is a political strategy, even if there are no specific ongoing diplomatic efforts.

A country that positions its navy in an area during peace times is likely to have more control over what happens.

India has been sending its naval warships on goodwill missions across the world ever since the country became independent.

But, in the past few years, it has mostly been visiting Indo-Pacific ports.

Ships from India’s Eastern Fleet have been going on goodwill trips to friendly countries all over the Indo-Pacific in recent years.

In 2023, for instance, the Indian Navy went to bases in Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, and New Zealand.

These trips are more than just normal attempts to improve diplomatic ties; they also send subtle strategic messages—most of the time against China.

It is important to think about when these missions happen.

The Indian Navy’s increased presence in the South China Sea, especially at a time when tensions between China and the Philippines are growing, and its visits to countries in maritime disputes with China are not accidental.

India and China’s relationship worsened after the 2020 border fights.

This involved India more in countering China’s power in the Indo-Pacific.

Indian ships are more likely to go to the South China Sea because of this change.

The Indian Navy did drills in the area with Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam in 2021.

In 2023, it drilled in the South China Sea with seven other ASEAN navies.

It also put out a statement with the Philippines, asking China to follow international laws of territorial rights.

This latest deployment shows how India’s approach is changing all the time.

Also, the South Pacific has turned into a place where India and China fight over strategy.

China is now a big player in both economic and security issues in the Pacific Island nations having gained a lot more power over them.

India has mostly been a development partner to these countries, but is now trying to get more involved.

It was clear that India wanted to improve its ties in the area when two ships from the Indian Navy went to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, after the third Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation (FIPIC) Summit.

The Indian Navy’s friendly trips to South-East Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific are very important for achieving India’s foreign policy goals through naval diplomacy.

These meetings not only improve India’s maritime ties, but are also a smart way for the country to show off its power by working with allies and quietly discouraging rivals, especially China.

India is becoming a major player in the Indo-Pacific by visiting ports and participating in joint exercises.

This shows that it is committed to keeping stability in the region and promoting a peaceful, rule-based order in the area.

(The author of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru.

He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt.

Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany.

You can reach him at: girishlinganna@gmail.

com) Source link.