LEHER - WAVE OF MARITIME UPDATES

Swapna Nair and Saba Purkar, Researchers at MHS in their article contextualize the importance of India’s Maritime past by focusing on the navigational practices and India’s quintessential maritime security in its multidimensional form. They further elaborate on the Annual Maritime History Conclave conducted by Maritime History Society addressing various nuances of seafaring traditions and Maritime Security under the theme of Early and Medieval History of India. Read More…

In total today, India has 15 conventional diesel-electric submarines, classified as SSKs, and one nuclear ballistic submarine, classified as SSBN. The article explains the importance of acquiring Submarines in the naval defence system with focusing on few historical anecdotes, current submarine acquisitions and projects that are underway. Read More…

Ever since the Portuguese handed over the then settlement of Bombay to the English in 1661, the city developed rapidly to become the centre of gravity of the burgeoning British Empire, of its maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region. The article asserts that Mumbai’s heritage and experience is to its great advantage in today’s increasingly interconnected world, in which the maritime dimension has taken centre-stage. Read More…

India and the ASEAN reveal the vast potential and insituatues vital multilateral significance. The article attempts to address it is apparent that the wide-ranging set of partnerships and complementarities between India and ASEAN reflect a need to engage the maritime medium more constructively, and with due attention paid to specific areas of concern such as maritime security. Read More…

The Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) have promoted sustainable utilisation of the fishery resources available to a country and has displayed a key element of a country’s fisheries management plan. This article attempts to examine the history and trajectory of MCS in India, primarily from a maritime safety and security perspective, and makes suggestions on the future course. Read More…

On 27 July 2021, the Parliament passed the Marine Aids to Navigation Bill, 2021, which repealed the 90-year-old Lighthouse Act, 1927. The Bill inter alia provides for the development, maintenance and management of Aids to Navigation (AtoN) in India This article aims to examine the contribution of AtoN in strengthening MDA and maritime security in India and possibilities of further consolidation, including at the regional level. Read More…

The Maritime Association of Shipowners Shipmanagers and Agents (MASSA) has initiated the ‘Reward Scheme for Excellence’ at its training academies operated by the Maritime Training & Research Foundation (MTRF) Trust for Indian seafarers. This will continue to bolster the up-skilling process of the highly skilled Indian seafaring population. Read More…

INS Visakhapatnam, a P15B stealth guided missile destroyer, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in the presence of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on November 21, 2021. The event marks the formal induction of the first of the four ‘Visakhapatnam’ class destroyers, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation Directorate of Naval Design and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai. Read More…

The Indian Navy commissioned Scorpene-class submarine INS Vela at the naval dockyard in Mumbai, in the presence of the chief of naval staff Admiral Karambir Singh. INS Vela is the fourth Scorpene-class submarine to be commissioned under Project 75 and is built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in collaboration with M/s Naval Group of France. Read More…

The ships and aircraft of the Indian Navy participated in the first-ever Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) Focused Operation to enhance maritime security in the Indian Ocean region, along with Sri Lanka and the Maldives. They operated over a vast area in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) of the three countries in Southern Arabian Sea. Read More…

The Western Naval Command, Indian Maritime Foundation & Nautical Institute (West) jointly hosted seminar, in online format, on 12 Nov 21. Seasoned practitioners from the Maritime realm, eminent scholars & other subject matter experts discuss ‘India’s Maritime Softpower And How To Create, Harness And Leverage it. Read More…

The article focuses on The Indian Navy plans on acquiring a sizeable number of unmanned aerial and underwater platforms in the next few years to significantly ramp up its surveillance capability in the backdrop of China’s increasing forays into the Indian Ocean region.Read More…

Naval Dockyard, Mumbai made a stellar contribution to the Indo – Pakistan War of 1971 through expeditious repairs, refits, and modifications, in making afloat assets battle worthy during the war. The video covers Naval Dockyard celebrating its 286th anniversary this year unde their motto #SwarnimVijayVarsh #HarKaamDeshKeNaam Read More…

The video is a twin story of the Old Vikrant and New Vikrant (IAC 1). First half showcases the illustrious past of India’s first Aircraft Carrier ‘Old Vikrant’ and her stellar role in ensuring victory in 1971war. The second half is the story of her imminent reincarnation as the First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (Vikrant) which would be commissioned into the IndianNavy next year. Read More…

Primacy of operational assets, combat readiness and geo-strategic capabilities were among the key issues discussed by the Indian Navy leadership during its four-day conference. The second edition of the biannual conference of navy commanders discussed methods to optimise outcomes and fulfill operational requirements in several facets of the force, including operations, acquisitions and infrastructure Read More…

HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier-led Carrier Strike Group’s major port stop in Mumbai is the U.K.’s Indo-Pacific tilt in action, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said that her visit is aimed at forging stronger security and defence links with India, the world’s largest democracy, as a key part of the U.K’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Read More…

India’s prosperity is largely linked to its seas and unhindered maritime access is one of the country’s primary requirements as it continues its march on the path of development. India’s security requirements, environmental health and economic development are ensured by keeping India’s maritime zones safe, secure and pollution-free, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said at the Investiture Ceremony of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).Read More…

On Monday, the Indian Navy received its 11th P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance anti-submarine patrol aircraft from the US based Boeing Company.
The Indian Navy already has a fleet of these aircraft which have completed more than 30,000 flight hours since its induction in 2013. This is the third aircraft which has been delivered under an option contract for four additional aircraft that the Ministry of Defence had awarded in 2016.Read More…

The country’s first manned ocean mission ‘Samudrayan’ was launched at Chennai on October 29, 2021 by Union Minister Jitendra Singh. India joins elite club of select nations USA, Russia, Japan,France & China having such underwater vehicles. A new chapter opens to explore ocean resources for drinking water, clean energy & blue economy.
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For the first time, the six ships of the Indian Navy’s first training squadron have arrived in Sri Lanka on a four-day visit to further bolster the bilateral defence cooperation and to enhance the interoperability of the two forces. The visit marks a milestone in the history of bilateral relations of India and Sri Lanka. Read More…

The Defence Ministry has signed a Rs 423-crore contract with the United States for procurement of MK 54 torpedo to equip its P-81 maritime surveillance aircraft with anti-submarine capability. he MK 54 is designed to operate in shallow waters and in the presence of countermeasures, it can track, classify and attack underwater targets. Read More…

India, along with Australia, the UK and small island developing states (SIDS) will be launching a new initiative for Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) on the sidelines of the upcoming Conference of Parties (COP26). The platform is aimed at creating a coalition for putting in place infrastructure that can withstand disasters and lessen economic losses in island nationsRead More…

India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC) Vikrant set sail in month of October 2021 for the second sea trials. The 40,000-tonne aircraft carrier, the largest and most complex warship to be built in India, successfully completed a five-day maiden sea voyage in August 2021Read More…

The Indian Navy will operate a mix of nuclear and conventional diesel-electric submarines in the future to deal with the threats around the country. The announcement comes against the backdrop of the Australian Navy’s decision to cancel its USD 90 billion deal with France for building conventional submarines and opt for building nuclear boats only. Read More…

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the Naval Commanders during the inaugural session of the second edition of Naval Commanders’ Conference of 2021 on Monday in New Delhi. During the conference, which commenced on October 18, the defence minister interacted with the Naval Commanders on matters pertaining to the national security and other issueRead More…

Amid efforts by China to increase ethe footprint in the Indian Ocean, The Defence Staff , General Bipin Rawat asserted that India should focus on Security And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) initiative to foster its relations with its maritime neighbors. Read More…

Union MinisterJitendra singh at the Azadi ka amrut Mahotsav event organized by Ministry of Earth Sciences on October 18 addressed that the blue economy is the vast socio – economic opportunity for coastal nation like India to utilise ocean resources system for societal benefits responsibly as Blue economy is an important subset of national economy comprising the entire ocean ecosystem.Read More…

Netherlands is interested in posting a Liaison Officer (LO) at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) for Maritime Domain Awareness and information sharing. There is a need for greater cooperation and interoperability between like-minded countries in tackling maritime threats
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The Netherlands frigate HNLMS Evertsen is part of the British Carrier Strike Group (CSG) that sailed into the Indian Ocean last week for exercises with the Indian Navy. Vice Admiral Rene Tas, commander of the frigate sees great potential for cooperation between Indian and the Dutch navies, given that the Indo-Pacific policies of the two countries.Read More…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.K. for U.N COP26 Climate Conference, it comes at a time when India – U.K. bilateral relations are on a positive trajectory and potentially at the threshold of a new era. Discussions have progressed on a full range of issues, from maritime security and space as well as cooperation at the U.N.Read More…

Watch important events, key maritime partnerships and bilateral exercises conducted by Indian Navy in the month of October, 2021 #HarKaamDeshKeNAaRead More…

The 2021 edition of the Indian Navy’s annual apex level international conference, “The Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue” (IPRD), held entirely online on 27, 28, and 29 October 2021, with eight sessions, each based on contemporary themes of maritime interest. The seminal conference was inaugurated by Shri Rajnath Singh, Hon’ble Raksha Mantri and the Keynote address was delivered by Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of the Naval StaffRead More…

Cmde Odakkal Johnson (Retd.) and former Director of MHS is in conversation with Sameer Karve of Maharashtra times traversing through the journey and conception of Maritime History Society (MHS). Maharashtra Times in its 6oth anniversary covers commendable work of MHS in the fields of Maritime History & Heritage. Read More…

Commodore Odakkal Johnson (Retd.) draws attention to the priesthood of peace needed through the warriors and waymakers across the oceanic expanse. First, Mahatma Gandhi and second an indelible persona: Lal Bahadur Shastri. One was a “Shanti ke Pujari” or “Priest of Peace” and the other gave the clarion call of “Jawan aur Kisaan” drawing attention to both the Warrior and Waymaker of Sustenance. Read More…

MHS Researcher Saba Purkar in her article commemorates HMS Trincomalee as 12 October, 2021 marks the launch date of the Royal Navy’s Leda class frigate HMS Trincomalee who carries in her bones over two centuries worth of history, making her the oldest afloat surviving warship of Great Britain.Read More…

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on August 09, 2021, via video conferencing at the United Nations Security Council chaired the High-level Open Debate on ‘Enhancing Maritime Security’. MHS Project Research Associate, Krishna Kataria attempts to recall the roots of India’s maritime growth and asserts that the renewed emphasis on the development of maritime security, coupled with India’s unmitigated stand on the same as the President, UNSC, has to be understood based on India’s historical connection to maritime security. Read More…

The article describes how this is an important time for India to work for the maritime sector and press the paddle on developing its marine strength to full capacity- for both economic and security reasons. In the same strain, with implementation of Bharat Sagarmala Yojana for improving port logistics and India’s increasing role in the Indo – Pacific region, the article comprehends India’s maritime potential. Read More…

The article asserts to If India aspires to build a capability for a strategic offensive in the Indian Ocean Region, it must enhance its submarine building capacity. The national security strategy must be based on the policy of strategic defence in the continental space that is coupled with strategic offence in maritime space.Read More…

In August 2021, India took over the one-month presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The brief covers India’s focus areas in the international security domain. In the various UNSC debates conducted, India displayed leadership, navigated the importance of maritime security, and through statements and resolutions, underlined its commitment to governance at sea. Read More…

Indian Seafarers have acquired a prestigious position as a major workforce over many decades with both Officers and Ratings being part of it. Ship Owners and Crew Managers have looked forward to recruiting them with confidence to man their ships. The article connotes that if we are to maintain or rather increase our seafarer workforce, we will have to strive towards keeping pace with the latest technologies, training and Government regulations.Read More…

Admiral Michael Gilday of the US Navy and a high-level US delegation visited the headquarters of the Western Naval Command at Mumbai, interacted with Vice-Admiral R Hari Kumar and discussed avenues to strengthen the growing cooperation between the navies and to deal with challenges emerging on the maritime front and enhance collaboration and interoperability to ensure maritime security in the IOR.Read More…

The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) — a colossal sea bridge is finally beginning to rise one concrete segment at a time. The idea of a connector linking the Island City of Mumbai to the mainland was first proposed in 1962 in a study The idea is to set up infrastructure that would help in the greater economic integration of Mumbai island with Navi Mumbai and extended regions of Pune, Goa, Panvel and Alibaug.Read More…

Flag bearing skydivers of the famous Akash Ganga Team dropping out of AN-32 aircraft in their colourful canopies commemorated the grand parade on the 89th anniversary of Indian Air Force (IAF) at Hindon Air Base in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad and in presence of IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh.Read More…

The largest and most advanced 105 meters long, new generation OPV, Fourth Vessel of the 05 Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Project, completely designed and built by Goa Shipyard Limited was delivered recently to the Indian Coast Guard. This vessel is fitted with the most modern and technologically advanced machinery and computerized controls system, making it the most advanced in -house designed vessel.Read More…

The Indian Navy participated in the second phase of multilateral Malabar exercise from October 12-15, along with the US Navy (USN), Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The Indian Navy’s participation included INS Ranvijay, INS Satpura, P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft and a Submarine.Read More…

The bilateral maritime exercise, JIMEX, in the Arabian Sea undertaken potentially enables the two navies to further strengthen their already wide – ranging strategic partnership and to jointly safeguard their maritime interests and ensure peace, security and stability in the region.Read More…

The Webinar was hosted by Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala on the theme ‘Maritime History of the IOR’.Read More…

MHS Senior Research Assate Swapna Nair and Research Associate Janhavi Lokegaonkar presented a paper on RIM and RIM in World Wars. Read More…

Panel Discussion comprising Cmde Srikant Kesnur (VSM), VAdm Anup Singh, VAdm G Ashok Kumar, RAdm Sudarshan Srikhande on ‘Indian Navy Through the Decades (75 years)’Read More…

Volume II, Issue 9 of Indo – Pacific monitor extensively covers key events occurred in the month of September, 2021. The monitor is an analytical survey of developments and policy trends that impact India’s interests and define its challenges across the extended Indo-Pacific maritime space, which has become the primary theatre of global geopolitical contestation. Read More…

AUKUS is a trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, announced on 15 September 2021 for the Indo-Pacific region. Under the pact, the US and the UK will help Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. The article analyses the strategic implications of AUKUS for India and the Indo-Pacific and How AUKUS will impact the QUAD’s objectives, meanwhile, remains to be seen. Read More…

The Indian Maritime Security Strategy (2015) highlights that MDA is central to the Information–Decision–Action (IDA) cycle, and is also a key enabler for maritime security across the conflict spectrum. Amplifying further, the article focuses on how a networked architecture is a prerequisite for effective MDA and information sharing. Read More…

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (or Quad, of India, the United States, Australia and Japan) began as a coordination mechanism to respond to the humanitarian crisis in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami that killed 227,898 people and displaced nearly two million others. It has since then morphed into one of the world’s most significant forums whose work could have important ramifications to global geopolitics.Read More…

Often referred to as among the most strategically located island chains in the world, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are critical for India’s strategic interests. The islands comprise the sole archipelago in the Bay and they straddle important sea channels. As the long-standing protectionist regime in the islands morphs into a more flexible form of governance that will balance development with conservation, the stage appears set for India to cultivate the islands’ potential. The country is undertaking initiatives to boost connectivity in the islands and explore its prospects as a military base. This brief examines these strategic manoeuvres being undertaken by India. Read More…

The Indian Navy and the Australian Navy on Wednesday signed the ‘Terms of Reference’ (ToR) for the conduct of the navy to navy talks under the framework of the ‘Joint Guidance for the India – Australia Navy to Navy Relationship’ document, signed by the two Navy Chiefs in August. This is the first such document signed by the Indian Navy with any country. Read More…

Following the Indian Ocean tsunami, India, Japan, Australia, and the US created an informal alliance to collaborate on disaster relief efforts. In 2007, then PM of Japan, Shinzo Abe, formalised the alliance, as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or the Quad. The article comprehensively covers the formation and objectives of Quad and how it has evolved since 2007.Read More…

On September 15, the heads of government of Australia, the UK and US announced the formation of a trilateral security pact, to be known by the acronym, AUKUS. The US and Britain would share, with Australia, intelligence and advanced technologies in areas like artificial intelligence, cyber-warfare, quantum computing and nuclear submarine construction. The article explains what lessons this new pact will hold for India and its role in Quad. Read More…

The Navy has handed over a Passenger Variant Dornier (PVD) aircraft on lease to the Maritime Air Squadron of the National Coast Guard, Mauritius. The aircraft was presented to the Mauritius Police Force (MPF) at an official ceremony. The MSN 4059 had been leased to the MPF by the Indian Navy on gratis basis to support the current increased load of air operations. Read More…

World Maritime Day is observed every year across the globe by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The day recognises and appreciates the significance of the maritime industry. It encourages people to consider issues of maritime security, safety, maritime environment, and shipping. The global shipping industry has played a vital role in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the world witnessed the professionalism of seafarers who carried out their duties. Read More…

India has signed a USD 50 million line of credit (LoC) agreement with the Maldives to facilitate maritime capability building of the island nations. The agreement was signed between the Government of Maldives and EXIM Bank India and during the visit of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to the Maldives.Read More…

Indian Naval ships Shivalik and Kadmatt arrived at Jakarta, Indonesia on September 18 to participate in the third edition of bilateral exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’ with the Indonesian Navy. The exercise aims to strengthen the bilateral relationship, enhance mutual understanding and interoperability in maritime operations between the two navies. Read More…

Oman on September 27, 2021 became the 22nd country to sign a White Shipping Agreement with India. The agreement was inked at Maritime Security Center (MSC), Muscat, between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman. The agreement will help in exchanging information on the merchant shipping traffic movement, through IFC-IOR (Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region. Read More…

India and Australia participated in the fourth iteration of the biennial maritime series ‘AUSINDEX’. The maritime exercise was a vital opportunity to showcase Australia’s ability to conduct high-end maritime warfare training with the Flag of Indian counterparts and showcase a range of ‘AusNavy’ maritime capabilities.Read More…

The month of September 2021 witnessed key events and maritime exercises conducted by the Indian Navy starting from the President’s color presented to Indian Naval Aviation, Indian Navy undertaking bilateral exercise ‘SIMBEX’ with Republic of Singapore Navy. undertaking maritime partnership with the Egyptian Navy and more.Read More…

The Victory Flame Swarnim Vijay Mashaal of SwarnimVijay Varsh celebrations was positioned at the statue of late Major Rama Raghoba Rane, Param Vir Chakra (PVC) at Karwar on 22 September 2021, as a tribute to the first living recipient of the PVC, India’s highest military decoration. The ‘Vijay Jyoti’ was received by Rear Admiral Mahesh Singh, Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area.Read More…

Watch Shri Ram Nath Kovind, the Hon’ble President of India and the Supreme Commander of Indian Armed Forces, presented the President’s Colour to Indian Naval Aviation at INS Hansa, Goa on 06 September 2021. Historically, the Indian Navy was the first amongst the three Services to be awarded the President’s Colour on 27 May 1951 by the then President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad. Read More…

INS Tabar undertook a maritime partnership exercise with ENS Alexandria, a frontline frigate of the Egyptian Navy, in the Mediterranean Sea. The exercise involved multiple activities covering a wide range of naval operations. The exercise was significantly beneficial in enhancing interoperability between the two navies and widened the scope for combined operations against common maritime threats in future. Read More…

Aiming to further strengthen their interoperability in the Indo-Pacific region navies of India and Australia started their biennial AUSINDEX maritime warfare exercise from September 6-10. The drill will provide the two navies an opportunity to further strengthen their joint defence capabilities.Read More…

The 28th edition of the three-day Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) in the South China Sea concluded on September 04, 2021. SIMBEX is the Indian Navy’s longest uninterrupted bilateral maritime exercise with any foreign navy.Read More…

Indian Navy and Sudanese Navy carried out a bilateral maritime exercise in the Red Sea off the Sudanese coast on September 10. INS Tabar and two Sudanese Navy ships- Almazz and Nimer- participated in this maiden exercise with the Indian Navy.Read More…

Indian Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessel INS Savitri arrived on 02 September, 2021 carrying two 960 LPM Medical Oxygen Plants (MOP), one each for Bangladesh Navy and Dhaka Medical College and assisted in combating the ongoing wave of the Covid pandemic in their country.Read More…

Swarnim Vijay Varsh was being celebrated across the nation to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of 1971 war victory. As part of the celebrations, the Vijay Jyoti, during its journey across the length and breadth of the country, arrived at Gateway of India, Mumbai on 01 Sep 21.Read More…

Ukraine’s Zorya-Mashproekt will supply M7H2 gas turbines for two Project 11356 frigates under construction with Russian assistance for the Indian Navy at the Indian state shipbuilding company Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), an Indian Government owned ship building company located on the West Coast of India.Read More…

In what comes as a significant boost to the country’s naval power, India is all set to launch its first satellite and ballistic missile tracking ship Dhruv. The 10,000-tonne vessel will be commissioned from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh in the presence of senior officials from the Indian Navy, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO). Read More…

The Indian Navy has joined the rescue and relief efforts in Gujarat where incessant rain and flooding have inundated large parts of the state. Over 7,000 locals have been evacuated with the assistance of the naval humanitarian and disaster relief (HADR) team, consisting of naval divers sent to carry out rescue and relief operations.Read More…

China announced a new set of maritime regulations last week that require ships carrying certain types of cargo to provide detailed information to the Chinese authorities when transiting through Chinese “territorial waters”. The article effectively attempts to focus on how these new maritime rules in the South China Sea will affect India. Read More…

Aiming to secure their marine resources in the Bay of Bengal, India and Bangladesh settled their maritime boundary in 2014. Despite the delimitation, however, fishers from both countries continue to commit unlawful forays into each other’s sovereign waters. The paper calls for a proactive strategy for India and Bangladesh to engage in meaningful diplomatic collaboration through the development of the Blue Economy. Read More…

The 70-year-old Naval aviation, which started as a fledgling Fleet Requirement Unit with ten amphibian Sealand aircraft in 1953, this year was awarded the President’s Colour, the highest honour bestowed on a military unit in recognition of its exceptional service to the nation.Read More…

While delivering a lecture at the United Service Institution of India, Indian Navy Chief, Admiral Singh said States today are applying a “land-centric approach” of a territorial mindset to the maritime domain, and actors are using different methods to remain below the threshold of conflict, diffusing the binary of war and peace”. He talked about the importance of the Indo-Pacific calling it the “centre of gravity of global interactions”.Read More…

Harsh Pant in this article explains India’s wider stakes in the South China Sea as nearly 55% of India’s trade with the Indo-Pacific region passes through these waters. India’s interest is primarily to keep the region’s trade routes safe and secure, thereby helping uphold regional stability, economic prosperity and freedom of navigation. The article evaluates the challenges for India in the South China Sea. Read More…

Malabar, which began as a bilateral exercise, is now one of the cornerstones of military interoperability of the Quad forces. On 26th August, 2021, Navies of the four member nations of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the Quad — India, the United States, Japan, and Australia participated in the 25th edition of the Malabar Exercise, which began off the coast of Guam in the Pacific Ocean.Read More…

Volume II, Issue 8 of Indo – Pacific monitor extensively covers key events occurred in August, 2021. The monitor is an analytical survey of developments and policy trends that impact India’s interests and define its challenges across the extended Indo-Pacific maritime space, which has become the primary theatre of global geopolitical contestation.Read More…

The Indian Ocean is warming at a higher rate than the other oceans around the world,” revealed Swapna Panickal, a meteorological scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, based on the recently released Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. The article sheds light on the potential challenges that the world and the Indian Ocean region can have with Climate Change.Read More…

The successful completion of the five-day sea trials (from 04 to 08 August 2021) of the long-delayed indigenous aircraft carrier, the new Vikrant, is a seminal event and one that has been justifiably met with elation and a palpable sense of maritime pride. The article envisages the importance of Aircraft Carrier, the argument around its development in making of ‘Maritime India’.Read More…

The February 2020 report by Kate Guy et al, entitled “A Security Threat Assessment of Global Climate Change: How Likely Warming Scenarios Indicate a Catastrophic Security Future,” was produced by the National Security, Military, and Intelligence Panel on Climate Change. NMF attempts to analyze the report and provides a comprehensive overview of the impacts of climate change. Read More…

Earlier this month, during the East Asia Summit foreign ministers’ meeting, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for “a free and open Mekong.” The article explains the strategic importance of the Mekong River which runs through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia before exiting in Vietnam’s delta region drawing maritime connectivity of India and Southeast Asian economies. Read More…

Trade Promotion Council of India, organised a webinar on Marine exports: Rejuvenating India’s blue economy on 11th August, 2021. The discussion focused on an understanding of India’s current marine exports & the role of a sustainable ocean economy in India’s post pandemic economic recovery. Read More…

Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant returned after a five-day sea trial to test the performance of the 40,000-tonne warship. IAC Vikrant, built at a cost of around ₹23,000 crore, set sail from Kochi in August for the crucial sea trials ahead of its planned induction into the Indian Navy by August 2022. The successful completion of the trail was illustrated as a “historic moment for the country”. Read More…

Continuing with its deployment in Western Pacific, including in the South China Sea, the Indian Navy carried out a Maritime Partnership Exercise with the Philippine Navy. Several operational manoeuvres and the participating ships of both navies were satisfied with the consolidation of interoperability achieved through this operational interaction at sea.Read More…

The article discusses the aim of Malabar 2021, increasing the interoperability amongst the participating navies, developing common understanding and SOPs for Maritime Security Operations. Malabar 21 witnessed exercises covering all the three domains of maritime warfare: live-weapon firing, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare drills, and joint manoeuvres and tactical exercises.Read More…

The Indian navy has conducted several important exercises and sea trials in the month of August 2021 arraying from INS Kochi undertaking bilateral exercise ‘Zayed Talwar 2021’ with UAE Navy, INS Talwar ‘s maritime partnership with Kenya Navy and more such key operational activities.Read More…

Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of the Naval Staff #CNS addressed the distinguished United Service Institution of India audience on 27 August 2021 on the topic ‘Transformation of the Indian Navy to be a Key Maritime Force in the Indo-Pacifi.Read More…

Video by the Indian Navy covers glimpses of Malabar Exercise from its 1st edition in 1992 until 2021. Malabar Exercise, importantly, is conducted and designed to improve planning, training, and employment of advanced warfare (AW) tactics between the participating QUAD nations.Read More…

Indian Navy in collaboration with Western Naval Command and Maharashtra Naval area commemorated 75th year of Independence raising the festive fervour of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Digital Symposium that drew attention to the Navy and Nation Building. Cmde Odakkal Johnson, former Director, MHS in his piece, illustrates Maritime India’s prehistoric period, a deep malaise of sea blindness at critical junctures of history and growing level of India’s Naval leadership in the global canvas. Read More…

India convened an open debate of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on enhancing maritime security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 9, reflecting India’s international evolution as a maritime nation. The debate highlighted effective international maritime cooperation to respond holistically to natural and manmade threats to maritime security. Read More…

Today, the oceans and the seas around us are bustling with activities hence, mapping of the ocean surface is important. In the same strain, the monograph aims to explain the interlinking of existing systems and the potential interoperability opportunities in the MDA infrastructure prevalent in the Indo-Pacific and the Eastern Mediterranean region from a maritime security perspective. Read More…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a virtual Security council Session where he asserted India’s role as the “Net Security Provider” for the Indian Ocean region, referring to the Indian Navy’s anti-piracy patrolling, India’s support to other nations, be it to boost maritime security capability and dealing with with natural disasters or to conduct a hydrographic survey or to enhance maritime domain awareness.Read More…

On August 09, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi became India’s first Prime Minister to chair an open debate in the UNSC, marking not only the continuing evolution of India’s maritime thought, but also the development of a forward-looking vision so necessary for India’s aspirations as a permanent member of the UNSC. The brief covers India’s leading discussions at UNSC that witnessed participation of Russian President Putin, US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, and many more foriegn officials.Read More…

Sujan R. Chinoy draws effective analysis from the UNSC debate where India today is President of. In lieu of that, the article explains how India’s leadership in the debate on maritime security has boosted its standing as a key player in the shared commons.Read More…

An aircraft carrier is one of the most potent marine assets for a nation, which enhances a Navy’s capability to travel far from its home shores to carry out air domination operations. The article envisages importance of the IAC – 1, INS Vikrant, first indigenous aircraft carrier designed by the Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design (DND), and is being built at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), a public sector shipyard under the Ministry of Shipping.Read More…

India, on August 4, 2021 sent a naval task force to the South China Sea to expand security ties with friendly countries, signalling its intent to play a bigger role in regional efforts to counter China. The deployment of the Indian Navy ships seeks to underscore the operational reach and solidarity with friendly countries ensuring good order in the maritime domain.Read More…

With a coastline of over 7,500 kms, comprising 1,200 islands, and our rich maritime history that goes back to at least the 3rd millennium BC, the oceans have always been central to India’s ethos. This article attempts to draw the importance of the archaeological remains of the world’s first dock at Lothal in Gujarat bearing testimony to India’s prowess as a sea-faring nation and adds to letting India take its rightful place at the famed ‘Horseshoe Table’ as a permanent member of UNSC.Read More…

From a rare call at a Norwegian port to exercises in the Persian Gulf to joint drills with its Australian, US and Japanese counterparts in Guam, and with the Russian built INS Tabar holding exercises with the Norwegian Navy, last few weeks have been vital for the Indian Navy with its maritime diplomacy seems to be in full swing.Read More…

India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives have finalised four pillars of security cooperation under the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) to further enhance the effectiveness of the trilateral mechanism. The article explores the four proposed areas are – Maritime safety and security; terrorism and radicalisation; trafficking and organised crime; and cyber security.Read More…

The first edition of the Indo Pacific Business Summit – a three day virtual conference organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India comprising business leaders, and policymakers from Indo-Pacific countries to meet and discuss sector-specific opportunities to increase maritime trade. Read More…

The Indian government approved a ‘Deep Ocean Mission’ to explore the ocean for resources and develop deep-sea technologies for sustainable use of ocean resources. The article analyzes the move towards deep seabed mining and concerns in regards to marine biodiversity.Read More…

India’s long neglected maritime domain is poised to be rewired with the appointment of a national maritime security coordinator (NMSC) who, it is understood, will be the principal adviser to the government on issues pertaining to the maritime security domain and will be part of a vertical that will work under the national security adviser (NSA). Read More…

Demonstrating professional competence, operating capabilities and reach, the Indian Navy has held several bilateral and multilateral exercises this year stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to the East China Sea and from the Gulf of Aden to the Indian Ocean. The articles puts emphasis on how holding bilateral and joint exercises with friendly navies accrues many short term and long term gains for India’s strategic partnership. Read More…

The Strait of Hormuz being a major chokepoint, disruption in trade in this region can have a major impact on the economy. Under `Operation Sankalp’ India continues to maintain a naval presence in the troubled Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, which is aimed at protecting and reassuring Indian-flagged merchant vessels and oil tankers transiting through the region.Read More…

Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu while addressing a virtual meeting from Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) guest house emphasized greatly on making India a leading maritime nation and the important role ports will have to play in achieving the ambitious vision.Read More…

On the International Seafarer Day, MHS Researcher Amruta Talawadekar explores different nuances of ship building heritage. Indian have a history dating back to almost 5000 years. The article emphasizes the reasons for fading intangible heritage of Indian technical sets beyond traditional craftsmanship.Read More…

Amar Chitra Katha Comics (ACK), have collaborated with the Indian Navy to bring its history to the readers. The second in a three-comic book series titled The Naval Journey of India – Tacking to the Blue Waters was launched on the International Day of Seafarers exploring the Navy’s myriad roles: as the defender of coasts, the protector of national security and interests and more. Read More…

The video presented by Indian Navy signifies various strides accomplished in the Month of June, 2021. Indian navy participated and conducted various Passage Exercises in IOR. To start with, (1) participating in IN EUNAVFOR joint naval drills held in the Gulf of Aden, (2) Joining in the Passage Exercise” or Passex with the US Navy’s Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, (3) INS Tabar undertaking Passage Exercise with Egyptian ship ‘ TOUSHKA’ and more at bilateral and multilateral front. Read More…

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved the Deep Ocean Mission of the Ministry of Earth Sciences with a view to explore the deep ocean for resources and develop deep-sea technologies for sustainable use of ocean resources. Read More…

To help the Indian Navy in its modernisation plans, harnessing India’s indigenous industry and know-how, is a key priority of the government. On June 25, 2021. Rajnath Singh reached Cochin Shipyard and reviewed the progress made in the construction of the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-I) Vikrant. Read More…

Spread over 3.477 million km2 the South China Sea is among the most resource-rich marine areas in the world. As one of the world’s busiest international shipping lanes, the South China Sea’s ecological system is unravelling amidst rampant overfishing, dredging for construction of artificial reefs and hydrofracking by China. The paper envisages the environmental impacts caused due to growing military expansionism. Read More…

The author illustrates a roadmap that leverages integration towards Joint Theatre Commands (JTC), to formulate the contours, constituents and purposes of the so-called ‘Peninsula Command’. In addition, the author tries to analyze the functionality of proposed Joint Theatre Command (JTC). Read More…

On World Oceans Day, 2021 Commodore Odakkal Johnson writes for Sea & Coast. He illustrates that the recorded scientific data on the oceans date back just around five centuries to observations by the late medieval global voyagers like Bartholomew, Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco Da gama and more. It is indeed time to pause and catch up with the collage of narratives of the Ocean. It is important to recognize that philosophically, naturally and scientifically the oceans are both the source and stability of life.Read More…

In a major boost to the government’s bid to indigenise the defence sector, the Cabinet Committee on Security is considering the Navy proposal for indigenously building three nuclear attack submarines which would be built by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Visakhapatnam.Read More…

After serving the nation for 40 years, INS Sandhayak, the oldest Hydrographic Survey Vessel of Indian Navy that undertook over 200 major hydrographic surveys and took part in important operations like operation Pawan in Sri Lanka, 1987, Operation Rainbow, was decommissioned at Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on June 4, 2021. Read More…

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has extended support to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea at the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), a significant platform involving 10 ASEAN Member countries and 8 Dialogue Partners Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the United States.Read More…

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) will be developing an indigenous Vessel Traffic Management Software and hardware that is used in ports. Currently, Indian ports use foreign options for fulfilling the same purpose, thus leading to higher costs.Read More…

The ministry of defence (MoD) has come up with a new framework for the archiving, declassification and publication of war history. This entails all services under MoD to transfer their records, including war diaries, letters of proceedings, operational record books, to the ministry’s history division to publish history of wars and operations. Read More…

Vice Admiral G. Ashok Kumar, Vice Chief of Naval Staff, exclusively spoke to The Daily Guardian at the launch of ‘Defence Guardian’ website about Project 75 India, various naval operations, the progress of ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in the Indian Navy.Read More…

The Indian Navy (IN)’s submarine modernisation plans finally look set to gather some steam with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Defence Acquisition Committee, approving the ‘Project 75-I’ (‘I’ for India) to build six submarines in the country. Read More…

The article explains The Strategic Partnership Model (SPM), established under India’s 2020 Defense Acquisition Procedure (DAP) with the goal of encouraging the Indian private defense sector to manufacture. The SPM is the latest effort by the Indian government to strengthen and transform India’s domestic defense manufacturing capability and step towards a decades-long pursuit of self-reliance in defense.Read More…

The article focuses on the crisis of anthropogenic climate change has been framed in myriad ways. Translating such a diverse and polarised debate into actionable policy has been at the core of all environmental negotiations, in particular the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the main fulcrum for the transnational governance of climate change. Read More…

The Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Yoshihide Suga, recently made public a plan to discharge 1.25 million tonnes of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean, describing it as his country’s “most realistic option.” The decision evoked consternation and rebukes from Japan’s neighbours, especially China and South Korea, also being widely viewed as a gross abrogation of Japan’s committed responsibilities under the UNCLOS.Read More…

Lord Curzon’s conceptualisation of India’s neighbourhood and emphasis on frontiers and integration is still relevant. Curzon recognised that India’s security depends upon its ability to exercise influence over a defined geopolitical space beyond its own shores. He identified this space as extending from the Gulf of Aden in the West to the Strait of Malacca in the East.Read More…

The Arctic has attracted world attention in recent years as global warming began melting the sea ice at a much faster rate. This new-found attention is also linked with greater accessibility of the Arctic Ocean, which is creating a geopolitical competition for resources and control. The article evaluates India’s past and present evolving engagement in the region. Read More…

On World Environment Day 2021, MHS Researcher Dennard D’souza illustrates that the oceans are at the centre of much global attention today. It is timely to curate collective thoughts not just on geopolitical foci but also on the vital call to a sustained, equitable and unhampered blue economy. Read More…

On World Oceans Day, 2021, MHS Researcher Krishna Kataria explores the concept of ‘Blue Economy’ which aims to promote the growth of ocean economies and marine socio-ecological systems emerging within national and international maritime policy.Read More…

In the Part 2, the article explains India’s policy approach in the Indian Ocean Region via Sagarmala Project, SAGAR policy and more such initiatives by the Government for Blue Economy. The protection of the Oceans is a global challenge and requires collaborative approach at macro level.Read More…

The Indian Navy on May 23, 2021 brought to India 340 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen, more than 3,700 oxygen cylinders and other medical supplies from abroad as the country continued to reel under a severe second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The supplies were brought by two warships from Singapore, Brunei and Qatar.Read More…

Maritime Association of Shipowners Shipmanagers and Agents has initiated a massive nationwide COVID vaccination drive in association with various maritime bodies to inoculate Indian seafarers free of cost in the months to come.Read More…

Submarines captured the imagination of security planners during the Battle of the Atlantic, when the German U-boat campaign raised the spectre of defeat for the allies. Commodore Lalit Kapur (Retd.) in this policy brief explains India’s submarine programme connecting the dots of contemporary events and history.Read More…

The article analyzes “Marine Protected Areas” or MPAs, which limit human influences and undertake conservation efforts in areas of high ecological importance in the Indian context. It assesses the efficacy of these MPAs and the challenges associated with their effective management in India’s maritime framework. Read More…

The article enunciates a roadmap for upgrading the Indian Ocean Observing System, a multinational ocean monitoring network, to keep tabs on changes in the Indian Ocean. The roadmap also calls for better-resolved upper ocean processes. Read More…

Alang, home to the world’s largest stretch of shipbreaking beaches in Bhavnagar district, was initially hit hard by the Covid-19. The article illustrates how the ship breaking and ship recycling industry at Alang is opting for sustainable ways. Read More…

Matsya 6000, will be India’s first manned submersible and the dive, if successful, will be akin to a giant leap, to paraphrase Neil Armstrong, for the country. The article delves deeper into the development and launch of Matsya 6000 as part of India’s ambitious Deep Ocean Mission. Read More…

Leanne Thothiyil and Ashwini Nawathe explore narratives of museology and document the triumphs and tragedies of various facets in Maritime History on the eve of International Museum Day.Read More…

Varuna 2021 witnessed the bilateral naval exercise between Indian and French navies. The exercises synergised the stated goal of upholding the rules-based order and promoting a stable maritime security order in the Indo-Pacific. Read More…

To raise world attention on the threats to shipping in the Gulf of Guinea and take the first steps to improve security, a task force of stakeholders from across the shipping industry launched the Gulf of Guinea Declaration on the Suppression of Piracy.Read More…

The Navy has intensified Operation Samudra Setu-2 to fetch more liquid oxygen and other medical supplies amid acute shortages. 9 warships from all three Naval Commands were deployed to bring the relief material from friendly foreign countries in Persian Gulf and South-East Asia.Read More…

Dhruv Jaishankar argues Despite last year’s quadrilateral Malabar exercises and the recent announcement of new working groups, Quad cooperation on naval interoperability, critical technologies, and Covid-19 had been manifest previously. Read More…

Noctiluca Scintillans, is a large dinoflagellate– a type of phytoplankton, whose sightings date back to 500 BC. In October 2020, bright blue sparkling waters were reported on the shores of the western Indian coasts, which were presented with excitement by residents of coastal cities and tourists.Read More…

Blue economy broadly refers to the use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs in a sustainable manner. The Niti Aayog has set up a high-level panel for better coordination and integration of initiatives in the sphere of India’s blue economy.Read More…

China is engaged in a whole-of-government effort to revise the global order to suit its interests. China’s ‘Maritime Police Law,’ which came into force on 1 February 2021, attempts to cast a veneer of legality over CCG activities, but experts on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) have already identified multiple areas in which China’s law contravenes international law. Read More…

Some of the Indian Navy’s advanced light helicopters (ALH) Mk-III will be equipped with an indigenous low-frequency dunking sonar, capable of conducting anti-submarine warfare as the Indian Navy has been looking for a new utility helicopter to replace its Sea King fleet. Read More…

The Covid-19 lockdown has produced the quietest year for the world’s oceans in recent memory, according to a group of scientists working on a global map of underwater soundscapes.Read More…

Cmde G. Prakash analyzes the looming threat of PLAN submarines in the IOR and India’s reaction to it, which will have to be more than mere Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) as China seems to be on a steady course to usurping USA’s position as the world’s most dominant power. Read More…

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh in his address explained how the Blue Economy holds out a promise and hope as a new frontier and engine of global growth amidst the gloom of the COVID-19 pandemic that has damaged the global economy. the vast resource pool of oceans has to be tapped to spur economic growth. Read More…

Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 323, the first unit of the indigenously built ALH (Advanced Light Helicopter) Mk III aircraft, was commissioned into the Indian Navy by Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik at INS Hansa in Goa.Read More…

As part of the country’s fight against the second wave of Covid-19, the Indian Navy has deployed ‘Oxygen Express’ to island territories. INS Sharda, based at Kochi, has undertaken transfer of essential medical supplies to Kavaratti, capital of Lakshadweep.Read More…

An Indonesian conventional submarine that went missing this week with 53 persons on board off the coast of Bali is a HDW Type 209 vessel built by Germany and is similar to what India operates, but with one major difference.Read More…

Maritime piracy or armed robbery incidents increased by 20 percent (195 incidents) over 2019 (162), according to a report by the International Maritime Bureau of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Chaitanya Mallapur takes a look at the data and explain why India and its seafarers should take these incidents of piracy seriously.Read More…

The term “submarine cable” has been widely used, including in international treaties such as the UNCLOS, but very little attempt appears to have been made to address the systems and networks associated with the term. The article aims to provide an overview of submarine communications cable systems in India, highlighting their criticality, their vulnerabilities, and the inadequate protection they receive under national and international law.Read More…

To view the shipbuilding industry solely in economic terms and as a generator of employment, this article seeks to draw attention to the strengths and infirmities of the legal framework that regulates the shipbreaking industry as it is an enterprise of substantial magnitude. Read More…

On March 7 2021, the Philippines observed a number of Chinese fishing boats tied together and anchored at the Whitsun Reef, number later increasing to 220. The South China Sea (SCS) is strategically vital for China, as a buffer region for its industrialised coast. The article analyses the latest action at Whitsun Reef prompts queries about its purpose.Read More…

Recently, the USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) asserted navigational rights and freedoms approximately 130 nautical miles (nm) west of the Lakshadweep Islands, inside India’s exclusive economic zone, without requesting India’s prior consent, consistent with international law. The article attempts to understand the issue by historical interrelation of UNCLOS and the emergence of the Freedom of Navigation and later, brings its focus at effectively understanding India’s position on this occurrence. Read More…

While there is yet to be a consensus on what constitutes the “Indo-Pacific”, it is widely viewed as the region that covers the Asia-Pacific and India. The article analyses The concept of a “free and open Indo-Pacific” which is widely espoused across the world and the informal aggrupation of Japan, India, the United States and Australia, called ‘QUAD’. Read More…

This month, the Indian Navy participated for the first time in France’s La Pérouse naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal. Scheduled for 5–7 April, the exercise witnessed participation from India’s fellow Quad Navies. The article attempts to analyse the significance of France in the Indo – Pacific region, as the region is home to “its overseas territories and 93 percent of its Exclusive Economic Zone.”Read More…

On April 07, 2021 The USS John Paul Jones, a US Navy guided missile destroyer, undertook a Freedom of Navigation patrol west of India’s Lakshadweep islands. Commodore Anil Jai Singh explains the US naval fleet’s defiance of Indian Law. FONOPS assert that the oceans are ‘global commons’ and are also an expression of the importance being attributed by the ‘arc of maritime democracies’ but it is vital to maintain a rules-based international order.Read More…

While the French Navy is all set to lead ‘La Perouse’ Navy exercise where four nations – India, the US, Australia and Japan – are taking part, stressing that the Indo-Pacific is now a reality, the Rear Admiral Jacques Fayard has said that French Navy see Indian Navy as global security provider of Indo-Pacific region Read More…

During his virtual summit with Seychelles president Wavel Ramkalawan, prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India and Seychelles share a vital partnership in the Indian Ocean neighbourhood. Seychelles is central to India’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR). Read More…

India has been working closely with countries in the Indian Ocean, especially the Maldives and Seychelles, to bolster maritime security through the supply of aircraft and patrol vessels. The PS Zoroaster is the fourth made-in-India patrol boat to be gifted to Seychelles since 2005. Read More…

The closure of the Suez Canal, one of the world’s most critical water bodies, due to a large container vessel, the MV Ever Given, running aground on March 23 while in transit, has caused enormous disruption to global shipping. This aspect points to the fragility of global trade.Read More…

India’s strategic ally France is open to jointly design and develop nuke-powered submarines India, a partnership that will assume importance in their defense relations. Read More…

#Bridges of Friendship – In the PASSEX (PAssage Exercise) carried out in the Persian Gulf, The Indian Navy deployed its warship INS Talwar while the Saudi Arabian Navy was represented by the Royal Saudi Naval Force Ship HMS Khalid.Read More…

In a notable humanitarian assistance operation, the Indian Navy, on January 21, executed medical evacuation. The Navy’s Seaking helicopter from INS Shikra conducted the operation and rescued a Malaysian citizen. Read More…

Defence ministers of India and Singapore on January 20, held a dialogue virtually wherein the navies of the two countries signed an implementing agreement on submarine rescue support and cooperation. Read More…

A webinar on ‘A Missing Dimension in Maritime Co-operation in Indian Ocean Region: Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA)’, organised by The Maritime Research Centre (MRC), Pune focusing on how the maritime sector occupies a significant place in India, the country should actively pursue and promote its geopolitical, strategic and economic interests on the seas. Read More…

Since the 2008 terrorist attack on Mumbai, coastal security has assumed particular importance among India’s national security concerns. In cognizance, the national government and state governments have taken several steps to address potential capacity issues of various intelligence and security forces. One such step is the biennial coastal security exercise called “Sea Vigil.” Read More…

The United States has recently declassified one of its primary national security documents—the 2018 Indo-Pacific strategic framework, which was developed by the National Security Council. The document underscores India’s capability in terms of defending its northern borders from Chinese incursions and asserts that in South Asia, the country retains its role as the key preserver of security. Read More…

December 2020 witnessed Indian Naval Ship Kiltan reach across to Vietnam and to Cambodia to provide relief. Director MHS engenders how SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) builds an effective response mechanism to address crises and disaster relief intervention and has been continuing testament of India’s evolving Indian Ocean strategy. Read More…

Water scarcity is a long-standing issue among Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The issue is further magnified by climate change and is emerging as an existential threat to SIDS. If India were to offer LTTD technology to SIDS in the IPR, this can be a natural extension of its diplomatic outreach and humanitarian assistance. Read More…

Abhijit Singh asserts how going beyond monitoring Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean, initiatives by India in the region could help generate intraregional synergy. Read More…

Addressing the press conference on the eve of Navy day, Admiral Karambir Singh enegenders the deployment of the aircraft P-8I and Heron drones to conduct surveillance in the IOR. Read More…

Indian naval ship Kiltan arrived at Nha Rong Port, Ho Chi Minh City as part of Mission Sagar-III, providing 15 toned of HADR stores for the flood-affected people of Central Vietnam in on -going pandemic. Read More…

Indian Naval Ship Kiltan arrived at Sihanoukville Port, Cambodia on as part of ongoing Mission Sagar-III and delivered 15 Tons of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Stores for the flood-affected people of Cambodia. Read More…

Arun Prakash envisages on the system of Theatre Commands and how it must be tailored to meet country-specific requirements keeping in consideration, two possible issues i.e, the chain of command of the Theatre Commanders and the relationship of the CDS (or his equivalent) with the service Chiefs. Read More…

As 2020 draws to a close, Abhijit singh reflects on some trends that have shaped the maritime security landscape over the past decade. Despite some success in combating Somali pirates at the turn of the decade, regional navies have struggle to contain other irregular challenges. Read More…

The Indo-Pacific region is increasingly being viewed as a global centre of gravity, both for its economic and demographic potential. The paper offers recommendations for the IPOI to enable India, a champion of the principle ‘Free and open Indo – Paciifc’ can play a more proactive and constructive role in the region. Read More…

China’s growing footprint and influence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has made the contest for power and control in the region significant. In cognizance, India has long been wary of power-plays in the Indian Ocean but finds itself with few options today but to participate in securing a free and open Indo-Pacific. Read More…

Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Vice Admiral AK Jain in conversation with ANI focuses on the importance of maritime domain awareness considering the growing security threat in the Indian Ocean Region. Read More…

Kalingas trade connections with Southeast Asia and China goes back centuries, and is really a testimony to India’s seafaring tradition. Read More…

One of the largest cultural projects in recent times, the 14-galleried museum project, Lothal, hopes to add a whiff of sea air to the landlocked confines of mainstream Indian history. Read more…

In the mid-19th century, Golconda, the shorthand for a rich mine was ruled over by the Qutb Shahi Sultanate He ruled over parts of present-day Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu from 1512 to 1687 and for whom sea & trade became vital symbols. Read More

Mansukh Mandaviya, Union minister for ports, shipping and waterways, wants to connect the country’s coastal and inland waterways. The various projects under the ambitious Sagarmala Programme aim to accelerate port-led infrastructure development and employment. Read More…

The Kandheri incident is an important footnote in history that lies at the heart of the success of the Maratha navy. Unlike rulers who built ships predominantly to trade, Shivaji built them to fight. Read More…

The Maritime History Society, under the Indian Navy, has spent 42 years navigating a vast sea of historical data to create a better understanding of the oceans. Interview of MHS Director Commodore Johnson delves deep geopolitics and importance of maritime consciousness. Read More…

India’s first surgical strike embarked by Rajendra Chola in 1025 CE, changed the course of the subcontinent’s history and became the first Indian to raid an overseas territory. Read More…

From his landlocked North Block office at the finance ministry, Principal Economic Adviser Sanjeev Sanyal has a 360 degree view of the sea. He has spent most of his life in cities shaped by the sea, and is convinced that India’s future will be shaped by turning the map around. Read More…

Amid worries that India’s border tensions with China could spill over the maritime front, Admiral Karambir Singh says the Indian Navy is ready to meet any challenge in the Indian Ocean Region. The admiral also talks about the Navy’s modernisation plans to counter the Chinese. Read More…

In 1025, Rajendra Chola I—the most powerful king in southern India—sent out ships to Srivijaya (now in Indonesia) to make a demonstration of power. This invasion illustrates India’s glorious maritime history. Read More…

The report proposed to the Government of India elucidates on having a single Maritime Theatre Command, headed by a Navy vice-admiral and based in Karwar, Karnataka, responsible for the entire maritime domain. Considering the geographical and geopolitical context, we need at least two maritime-focused commands, facing west and east. Read More…

The country’s first Maritime Theatre Command is set to take shape by 2021, with its Commander-in-Chief having full operational control over the Eastern and Western Naval Fleet. It is claimed to be the first new Geographical Theatre Command to be established as part of the biggest – ever military restructuring plan to build an integrated land – sea – air war fighting machinery. Read More…

In his annual comments in the run-up to Navy Day, naval chief Admiral Karambir Singh outlined the orientation of the IN as a force that is ”combat-ready, credible and cohesive” The silent service should explore these uncharted waters as its relevance in the affairs of the Indo-Pacific acquires greater salience. Read More…

‘Himgiri’, the first of the three Project 17A ships being built at M/s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata was launched on 14 December 2020. The launch of ‘Himgiri’ has showcased GRSE’s commitment towards the building of three state-of-the-art warships of P17A for Indian Navy. Read More…

The radical transformation of the world economy in the post-World War II period – driven by globalisation, trade, and technology – has underscored the role of connectivity. In 2019, India and Russia announced their intent to connect the ports in their respective cities, Chennai and Vladivostok. This paper explores the economic and strategic viability of this proposed maritime connectivity corridor. Read More…

The history of the world is replete with examples of seafaring and maritime nations that progressed and gained the ascendancy by powering their national progress through the oceans. The use of oceans, seas and waterways is as old as human existence itself. They have been the medium through which humanity, culture, ideas and trade have travelled across the globe. This quality of the oceans brings great significance to all nations, more so to a maritime nation such as ours. Read More…

In 2015 Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Mauritius, had articulated his vision of SAGAR, which highlighted the maritime orientation of India’s strategic neighbourhood and the importance of enhancing regional maritime security. Recent visits by the External Affairs Minister and the Foreign Secretary to India’s maritime neighbours further underlines this. Read More…

The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB), a nodal agency of the Gujarat government, has been trying to develop a maritime cluster consisting of Gujarat-based shipping lines, freight forwarders, shipping agents, bunker suppliers, stevedores, and shipbrokers with chartering requirements. at GIFT City in the state capital Gandhinagar through its subsidiary Gujarat Ports Infrastructure and Development Company Ltd (GPIDCL). Read More…

To recognise the achievements and contribution of the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971, on December 4, 2020, the Indian Navy took to Twitter to recall moments from the 1971 war which witnessed a military confrontation between India and Pakistan during the Bangladesh liberation war and recalled the contribution of INS Mysore during the Western Fleet Operations of 1971 War. Read More…

The Print has learnt, India’s plan for the Maritime Theatre Command (MTC), which will merge the Eastern and Western naval commands besides getting elements from the Army and the Air Force, could involve bringing the Indian Coast Guard assets under its operational control. Read More…

It has been twelve years since the heinous attack on Mumbai on 26 November 2020. While ‘coastal border management’ was institutionalised in 2004 with the establishment of the Department of Border Management (DoBM) in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the management of coastal (and maritime) security in India underwent a paradigm shift after the ‘26/11’ attacks. Read More…

World Maritime Day was observed on September 24 and it has once again brought into focus UNESCO’s 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. Read More…

Dr Soni Wadhwa, Joint Director (Research), MHS writes in The Daily Guardian: The maritime domain is multidimensional. It has the onus of contributing trajectories for a wide connection with its ability for displacement of ships and boats, by the possibility of intermingling of people, as a carrier of ideas and assimilator of culture. Read More…

Saba Purkar and Ashwini Nawathe from Team MHS write an article in The Daily Guardian: India’s strategic position in the Indian Ocean Region has ensured that we have a list of maritime stories and heroes that have left an impressive wake. Read More…

Dr Andre Baptista from Team MHS writes in The Daily Guardian: The communities along the coast have been silent observers but active recipients of varied cultural traits and practices that serve as an excellent record of their histories. It is therefore unfortunate that the narratives of these communities are often relegated to the side lines in the overall telling of our country’s history. Read More…

Director MHS writes in The Daily Guardian: The concept of ‘Maritime Consciousness’ has been gaining prominence among the various jargons used in the maritime domain. Any country seeking a strong influence in the global high table must remain committed to ensure the security of the seas and sustainably exploit marine resources. Read More…

Ashwini Nawathe and Saba Purkar from Team MHS write an article for The Daily Guardian on the occasion of Remembrance Day: “On a warm Wednesday morning, 11 November 1942, HMIS Bengal a British Indian corvette, was escorting the oil tanker MV Ondina on passage from Freemantle to Diego Garcia. When they had reached half the way an unknown vessel was seen steaming straight for them. Read More…

Director MHS writes in The Daily Guardian: As a diplomatic instrument, the Navy has key attributes—access, mobility, reach and versatility. We need to embed these attributes within the larger vision of India›s role in the global arena. A flexible but proactive maritime international presence is essential to safeguard and project our national interests overseas. Read More…

The decision came after the central government notified the Director General of Shipping as the National Authority for Recycling of Ships under Section 3 of the Recycling of Ships Act, 2019, stated an official release from the Press Information Bureau on Thursday. Read More…

India will hand over INS Sindhuvir, a Kilo class submarine to the Myanmar Navy, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Thursday. Addressing the weekly press interaction, official spokesperson of MEA Anurag Srivastava said this will be the first submarine of the Southeast Asian country and the move is in line with the overall Indian vision that aspires to guarantee security for all maritime partners. Read More…

With its entry into the DCOC, India gets a toehold in China’s glowing pearl, Djibouti. Observers view the DCOC entry as a positive move. They note that India so far has only access to information on white shipping (commercial), and tie-ups like DCOC which will give India access to grey (military) shipping activities, too. Read More…

The planned expansion of the NCC in coastal areas, which is essentially a community focused initiative has the potential to contribute effectively, in supporting both central and state agencies, in addressing challenges like disaster management and security-related tasks. Therefore, this capability must be effectively leveraged. Read More…

This policy brief recommends the opening up of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the friendly navies of the US, Japan, Australia and France, among others, in order to promote greater naval cooperation. Read More…

As competition intensifies in the Indian Ocean Region, India loses touch with Sri Lanka and solidifies relations with the Maldives. Read More…

An article by the research team at MHS in The Daily Guardian: “India is a country that boasts of oceanic expanse on three sides, a coastline which has shaped its past, and still continues to contribute to its present. Yet, one needs to note that the history of the Indian Peninsula has been predominantly been identified and studied from the landward dimension.” Read More…

A Report from The Indian Express:According to sources, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will have to consider a number of aspects before granting the No-Objection Certificate (NOC). Read More…

A Report from The Indian Express: It is the fifth and last in a series of FPVs built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd. Read More…

Cmde Srikant Kesanur, Director of Maritime Warfare Centre in Mumbai and Officer in Charge of the Naval History Project, relives the glory days of INS Viraat, once the centrepiece of the Navy’s combat capability, and tells Mayura Janwalkar why a generation of naval officers saw her go with a heavy heart. Read More…

“From 1939 to 1945, the Royal Indian Navy fought on the high seas in the greatest conflict in human history. In this episode, Commodore Odakkal Johnson, director of the Maritime History Society joins Aditya Ramanathan and Aditya Pareek to talk about the Royal Indian Navy’s exploits and its legacy.” Listen Now…

“Denial of access to unauthorised vessels inside India’s Offshore Development Area is a major challenge, with warships and submarine involved in the robust surveillance arrangement.” Read More…

“Comprehending sagar in its vast and delicate multi-layered complexity is vital for India. Revisiting NMA of 2014 should be a policy imperative for the government.” Read More…

Commodore Odakkal Johnson, Director MHS, writes in The Daily Guardian: “Let INS Viraat be commissioned as IAC3. Three indigenously built aircraft carriers must be the face and force of an Aatmanirbhar Samudri Bharat.” Read More…

“As the world’s major powers pivot to an increasingly important part of the world, Delhi’s balancing act will become crucial” Read More…

“India’s maritime sector stands at the cusp of a new dawn. If we are to establish ourselves as a leader in the maritime space, we need to take giant leaps in technological and financial aspects.” Read More…

Former CNS Adm Arun Prakash about “A Maritime Awakening”: As we watch the situation in Ladakh unfold, it becomes increasingly obvious that not only is a military resolution improbable, but a “hot-war” may be unaffordable for both nuclear-armed countries. Read More…

Lt Gen KJ Singh writes: Vice Admiral M.P. Awati was probably the best role model for the Indian Navy…. “Vice Admiral M.P. Awati, you were not only omnipresent but also omniscient and omnipotent. You were considerate to listen; took trouble to be present, where most commandants never went and above all dared to be bold and compassionate in dispensing justice.” Read More…

Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd) writes: “If Viraat’s de-commissioning ceremony was a sad experience, the thought of this leviathan’s last voyage to the Alang boneyard is even more depressing. The sadness will extend well beyond our shores because ‘Happy Hermes’ is a fondly-remembered icon in the Royal Navy too. The UK First Sea Lord was present at her de-commissioning.” Read More…

An article by Director MHS, Cmde Odakkal Johnson in The Daily Guardian. “The Samudra Setu initiative by the Navy to repatriate Indians stuck overseas due to Covid-19 has also allowed us to look back at India’s maritime history to connect globally and celebrate the common or shared heritage.” Read More…

“The Djibouti Code of Conduct is a key tool in repressing piracy and armed robbery against ships in the western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. The event saw many proposals presented, such as the development of a regional informationsharing network, based on the existing national maritime information sharing centres in all the participating countries.” Read More…

“In the near-term, Quad partners could potentially help with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance requirements across the Indo-Pacific while avoiding getting into the fight. Although not feasible in the near future, a sharp Indian maritime and air expeditionary capability could add to leverage.” Read More…

A thought provoking paper on climate change vis-a-vis shipping. “The impacts of climate change are now affecting the way of life for billions of people in almost every part of the planet….The consequences of such a large temperature rise will be catastrophic for human civilisations.” Read full paper…

Aegean II, a ship recently reported to have been hijacked by pirates is safe now. “The Aegean II had originally altered its course due to a damaged hull and after local police had boarded it, “there had been certain incidents on board the vessel”, the EU force said in a statement.” Read More…

Captain DK Sharma of BSI interacts with a very experienced and a highly decorated Naval Aviator Capt P Rajkumar SC NM(G) who tells us about the types of helicopters in the Indian Navy followed by the basic difference between flying over seas and terra firma viz. land. He also throws some light on the various challenges which the Naval Aviators face whilst carrying out flying from small decks of the ships…Listen Now….

An obituary by Cdr K Ashok Menon (Retd). “If his contribution to strategic thinking earned the Admiral praise from the savants, the legacy he left behind in the Navy too, albeit in a different avatar, has been equally unique”Read More…

The tug-of-war between the United Kingdom and Mauritius over Chagos archipelago – and the US military base on Diego Garcia – is hotting up. In 2019, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution which endorsed a non binding decision from the International Court of Justice that supported Mauritius’s claim to the Chagos. London has so far stoutly resisted calls to hand over the islands Read More…