New star in India’s maritime strategy

New Delhi : The Indian Navy released a new maritime doctrine in October, envisaging an expanded footprint in the Indian Ocean and, besides aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered and nuclear attack submarines, there is an appropriate emphasis on offensive naval aviation.

Besides the planned 45 MiG-29K combat jets that complement aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya's onboard and onshore capability, the most advanced weapon system in the navy's arsenal now is the P-8I Neptune long-range maritime reconnaissance (LRMR) aircraft designed to hunt and kill enemy submarines. In fact, in terms of technology and capability, it is the most advanced warfare system in the last several years that any of the three Indian services have acquired.

India has ordered eight aircraft, with an option for four more. Built on the civilian Boeing 737 platform, delivery of all the eight aircraft was recently completed on time and within the promised cost. Reliable sources told this correspondent that discussions for four additional aircraft have begun with Boeing, and deliveries would begin soon after the contract is signed.

The Indian Navy has been operating Soviet-vintage Il-38 and Tu-142 maritime surveillance aircraft and, although the former have been upgraded for limited life extension, the latter are largely being replaced with the Boeing P-8Is.

The navy's new Indian Maritime Security Strategy (IMSS 2015), released by Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar in October, supersedes those released in 2004 and 2009 - and substantially increases the navy's responsibility in countering both coastal and high seas' threats. The area of interest has been expanded deeper south in the Indian Ocean and farther west up to the Mediterranean to ensure safe passage for shipping.

Aircraft are the fastest to reach target areas, and the Boeing P-8I is easier and cheaper to operate in terms of technology and fuel, carries more load than any of the Soviet origin aircraft with the Navy, and has sensors and weapons to detect submarines and other threats 360 degrees. That is why the navy has decided to exercise the option clause for four more.

The Indian Navy chief, Admiral Robin Dhowan, had told this correspondent in an earlier interview that besides the 12 P-8Is, the navy would be looking for nine medium-range maritime reconnaissance (MRMR) aircraft - of the same modern capability as that of P-8I - and 12 Dornier 228 short-range maritime reconnaissance (SRMR) aircraft. The tender for the MRMRs is yet to be issued.

An older 1980s version of Dornier is being made by HAL and a new generation and more powerful version by the Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), but this is only for exports. All the aircraft are to have some level of electronic warfare (EW) capabilities and, according to Admiral Dhowan, capability is the key towards any selection.

Boeing delivered the last of the eight ordered aircraft in October and Parikkar dedicated the aircraft to the nation on November 13 after flying in one of them at INS Rajali, Arakkonam, India's premier naval air station in Tami Nadu, which is under the command of Commander Venkateshwaran Ranganathan.

An engineer by profession, the defence minister described the aircraft as a force multiplier in dominating the future battle space and giving the navy the necessary reach and flexibility in swiftly responding to threats in "our area of interest". The P-8I has 360 degree surveillance capability for electronic signals intelligence (ELINT) thanks to radars from Raytheon and Telephonics, while its weapons include depth charges, torpedoes and missiles.

The Indian Navy's P-8I Neptune is nearly the same as the US Navy's P-8 Poseidon, except for some changes like India's own data link made by BEL which the navy uses for all its ships and stations.

By Gulshan Luthra