India’s Unusual Intelligence And Naval Activism

Dr. Jassim Taqui

Islamabad: The Indians seem to be enjoying their clandestine war of attrition against Pakistan in collaboration with their new American ally and all-weather Israeli friend though the Jewish state prefers to play its role from behind the scene. Ironically every party of the trio is playing a double game that aims at promoting its national interests. This is a big game of “ sleeping with the enemy.” However, the Indians seem to be the weakest and more vulnerable in this game of deceit and self-indulgence.

India has sanctioned $ 36 billion for its 2012 defence budget even as over 500 million Indians are living below poverty line. The American and Israeli military establishments love this and look forward to siphon the maximum billions of this huge spending. This huge Indian military posture has also been combined with an unprecedented intelligence and naval cooperation with the United states. 

The intelligence cooperation between the United States and India is rapidly strengthening in every field. Now, the US intelligence community is helping India establish “ Homeland Security in India.” The Americans are massively helping the Indian intelligence agencies with technology transfers, intelligence sharing, capacity building, counter terrorism techniques, and counter espionage, infrastructure protection techniques, criminal tracking network equipment.

No reason is given to this intense intelligence cooperation between US and India and why does New Delhi have the apprehension of imminent danger. However, there are indications to suggest that terrorists might strike by sea in collaboration with sleeper cells inside India. This explains the Indian keenness to strengthen its navy and seek very expensive weapons from western sources.

India needs homeland security since the central government is facing internal turmoil in the Kashmir Valley in the North, in the states of Manipur, Nagland, Assam and Tripora in North East and the war against the poor in the tribal regions of Central India to capture their mineral-rich land for corporate interests.

The Indian Navy is assuming high profile role in the Indian Ocean. Now , the Indian Navy is collaborating with the navies of United States, Singapore, Australia and Japan. This cooperation would ultimately changed into anti-China naval barrier in the Indian Ocean region.

Viewing the Indian exercises in the Indian Ocean, it seems as if the Indians are bracing themselves for some sort of a naval war. The exercises are massive and include anti-submarine welfare, surface welfare, air defence, live-fire gunnery training and visit boards, search and seizure (VBSS).

Raising the fear of danger to maritime navigation, the Indians are acquiring advance technologies such as maritime patrol, air defences, ballistic missile responses, transportation and command communications. India is reaching beyond major regional powers to build strong military partnership with key nations in South-east-Asia. India is also courting Vietnam to challenge China in the South China Sea.

Indian navy accounted for 18 percent of military spending in 2008. It has significantly increased to 24 percent. Recent purchase include

Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon anti submarine warfare/ maritime surveillance aircraft, Israel UAVs and Scorpene submarine made by French and Spanish companies.

Indian navy activism could be directed against Gwadar region in Baluchistan, which is vital to give China access to the sea for its western provinces. On the hand the United State, which is the Indian strategic partner is also eying Gwadar. It desperately wants to establish a military base in Gwadar to target Iran and to preempt Chinese using the sea port as a save passage to Arabian Sea and as naval outpost of China.

Source: Pakistan Observer

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