Maritime Security

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The recent Chinese satellite and missile tracking ship, the Yuan Wang 5, in Hambantota Port, was brought up by Sri Lanka's envoy to India, who suggested that India and Sri Lanka establish a framework to discuss marine issues.

Yuan Wang 5

• It is a ship from the Yuan Wang series' third generation, and it went into service in 2007.
• "Space tracking ships active in aiding the human space program" are among the vessels in this class.
• Satellites and intercontinental missiles can be tracked using it.

Hambantota Port

• A Public Private Partnership and Strategic Development Project between the Government of Sri Lanka and China Merchants Port Holdings is the Hambantota International Port Group (CMPort).
• After Sri Lanka failed to pay back Chinese loans, China was given this port by Sri Lanka on a 99-year lease.
• It is considered a case of Chinese diplomacy that is in a "debt trap."

Maritime Security in India

• There is no widely accepted definition of maritime security.
• National security, the marine environment, economic development, and human security are all included in its classification of maritime-related issues.
• It deals with regional seas, territorial waters, rivers, and ports in addition to the world's oceans.

Significance

• Maritime security is extremely important to global society because of issues like the smuggling of weapons, illegal immigration, and at-sea piracy.
• Threats from terrorism and environmental disasters are also covered.
• Given that India has a coastline that extends for more than 7,500 kilometres, marine security is a crucial component of national security.
• Physical hazards in the marine region are no longer as prevalent as they once were due to technological advancements.
• The majority of India’s exports and imports, approx. 90% have continued to travel through the Indian Ocean. As a result, protecting Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOCs) has become crucial for India in the twenty-first century.

Chinese influence

• Shiyan 1, a Chinese research vessel, was spotted in 2019 close to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• China dispatched a Yuan Wang class research ship into the Indian Ocean in August 2020, in the midst of the ongoing fighting in eastern Ladakh on the Sino-Indian border.

India’s Initiatives for Maritime Security

Security and Growth for All (SAGAR) Policy:

• The Indian Prime Minister introduced the SAGAR policy during a trip to Mauritius in March 2015. It is an integrated regional framework. India's function as an Internet security provider in the Indian Ocean region is one of SAGAR's cornerstones (IOR).
• India would keep boosting the IOR-friendly nations' economic resilience and maritime security capabilities.
• A more connected and collaborative approach to the IOR's future would improve the chances for the long-term growth of all the region's nations.
• Those "who reside in this territory" would bear the primary duty of ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity in the IOR.

Mission Sagar:

• Launched in May 2020, "Mission Sagar" was an endeavour by India to provide help to the nations in the Indian Ocean Littoral States relating to Covid-19. Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros, and Seychelles were among the nations included.

• The Indian Navy has been deploying its ships as part of "Mission Sagar" to deliver medical and humanitarian aid to the nations in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and beyond.

Respecting international law:

• In the maritime border arbitration between India and Bangladesh, India accepted the ruling of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) tribunal.
• It envisioned giving the littoral states of the Bay of Bengal a fresh impetus for efficient international economic cooperation (BIMSTEC).

Data Exchange:

• Improving maritime security requires the exchange of data on threats to commercial shipping.
• In this regard, India opened an International Fusion Centre (IFC) in Gurugram in 2018 for the Indian Ocean region.
• The Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard jointly manage IFC.
• The goal of IFC is to create Maritime Domain Awareness regarding safety and security issues.

Way ahead

• India to Adopt Multi-Pronged Approach: India will need to take a multipronged approach that includes infrastructural and technology-related issues in addition to a strong military plan to challenge China.
• India must retain its dominance and assertiveness in the Indian Ocean to prevent China from operating in areas that are important to India.
• Given that China is the most unstable and sensitive in the Pacific region, India must work with its allies and strengthen its relationships in order to acquire influence there.
• India's maritime policy must be paired with those of China.

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