Ensuring Secure Seas: Indian Maritime Security Strategy Explained

Country:India
Isbn:978-93-81722-22-0
Author:Directorate of Strategy, Concepts and Transformation (with inputs from across the spectrum)
Preceded By:Freedom to Use the Seas: India's Maritime Military Strategy (2007)
Publisher:Integrated Headquarters,
Ministry of Defence (Navy)
Pub Date:October 26, 2015
Notes:Naval Strategic Publication (NSP) 1.2

Ensuring Secure Seas: Indian Maritime Security Strategy (IMSS-2015 or Strategy-2015) is a document published under India's Integrated Headquarters outlining the nation's updated thinking towards its naval considerations. The previous edition Freedom to Use the Seas: India's Maritime Military Strategy (IMMS-2007) was published in 2007.[1]

Primary areas of national interest have been expanded to include a larger portion of the Indian Ocean. Secondary areas such as the Mediterranean Sea have been included.[2] Naval power will be built towards three carrier battle groups. Ballistic missile submarines will aid in sustainable and continuous nuclear deterrence and assured destruction.[3] The strategy mentions international concepts and law such as freedom of navigation and United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and that counter-piracy and humanitarian efforts will increase.

The document acknowledges the labyrinth of dynamic geopolitical linkages.[4] Organized crime, climate change and natural disasters have been considered. The document briefly lists other national projects and initiatives Project Mausam and Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).

Commentary

With regard to maritime law, India will need to walk the talk, taking cue from its own arbitration award with Bangladesh. The elucidation of "net security provider" in the Indian Ocean doubles down on the phrase and remains a challenge even within the limits of the northern Indian Ocean.

Strategy-2015 has been called "assertive" as compared to its "conservative" predecessor, however the document does not go into detail how naval dominance will be attained and only portrays the general role of carrier battle groups during conflict.[5]

Related publications

Further

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Baruah. Darshana M.. 3 December 2015. India's Evolving Maritime Strategy. limited. 2022-02-08. The Diplomat.
  2. Web site: Roy-Chaudhury. Rahul. 22 December 2015. Five Reasons the World Needs to Pay Heed to India's New Maritime Security Strategy. 2022-02-08. The Wire.
  3. Web site: Khurana. Gurpreet. 2017-04-03. India's Maritime Strategy: What 'the West' Should Know. 2022-02-08. Asia Dialogue. en-GB.
  4. Web site: Sidhu. W. P. S.. 2016-02-14. India's challenge of securing the seas. 2022-02-08. Livemint.
  5. Ho. Ben Wan Beng. 2018-03-06. The Aircraft Carrier in Indian Naval Doctrine. Naval War College Review. 71. 1. 0028-1484.
  6. Web site: April 29, 2004. India's new naval doctrine. 2022-02-08. Articles in Indian Media. Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
  7. Web site: Parmar. Captain Sarabjeet Singh. October–December 2020. The Indian Navy's Maritime Outlook: The Path Walked since Independence. 2022-02-08. The United Service Institution of India.
  8. Web site: Khurana. Gurpreet S. 2016-03-22. Indian Navy Updates, Indian Maritime Doctrine 2009. 2022-02-08. National Maritime Foundation. en-US.