NEW DELHI: While the Indian Ocean Region has become vulnerable to new unconventional threats, basing facilities acquired by China in the region have further complicated the situation, says Indian Navy’s Vice Chief.
“Indian Ocean Region is witnessing a great power rivalry and the situation has been complicated with China having been provided basing facilities at Djibouti, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar,” said Vice Admiral SN Ghormade on Saturday.
The Vice Chief was speaking on ‘Leveraging the Military Powers’ at the first Indraprastha Grand Strategy Conference hosted by New Delhi-based think tank Indian Futures.
Adding to the vulnerabilities are piracy, gun running, drug trafficking, illegal immigration, pollution, port security, smuggling, international terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, added Vice Admiral Ghormade.
He pointed to the increased freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea. “Naval forces can be effectively utilised for political signalling and posturing. The increase in freedom of navigation operations in South China Sea by the US Navy and its allies is an apt example.”
There are various risks. “Non-adherence to rules based on international order and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, maritime militia, quest for hydrocarbons, and competing EEZ Claims have a risk of manifesting into flashpoints and causing instability.”
In the Indian Ocean Region, resources are likely to be a primary driver for contested maritime claims that could lead to conflict. Pressures of population, regional inter-ference, ethnic strife, scarce natural resources, border disputes and weak littoral governments are likely to contribute to instability in the region.
“Military power is not only leveraged for military crises but for various other contingencies,” he said.