India is speeding up its navy modernisation programme and leaning on its neighbours to curb Chinese submarine activity in the Indian Ocean, as the region becomes increasingly jittery over Beijing’s growing undersea prowess.
Chinese submarines have shown up in Sri Lanka and Beijing has strengthened ties with the Maldives.
China’s moves reflect its determination to beef up its presence in the Indian Ocean, through which four-fifths of its oil imports pass.
“We should be worried the way we have run down our submarine fleet. But with China bearing down on us, the way it is on the Himalayas, the South China Sea and now the Indian Ocean, we should be even more worried,” said Arun Prakash, former Chief of the Indian Navy.
“Fortunately, there are signs this government has woken up to the crisis,” he said, “but it will take time to rebuild.”
India has ordered an accelerated tendering process to build six conventional diesel-electric submarines at an estimated cost of Rs.50,000 crore ($8.1 billion), in addition to six similar submarines that French firm DCNS is assembling in Mumbai port to replace a nearly 30-year-old fleet hit by a run of accidents.
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The country’s first indigenously-built nuclear submarine - loaded with nuclear-tipped missiles and headed for sea trials this month - joins the fleet in late 2016. In the meantime, India is in talks with Russia to lease a second nuclear-propelled submarine, navy officials told news agency Reuters.
