NEW DELHI: India should not only exist but also compete in the evolving space of the Indo-Pacific, said Chief of Naval staff Admiral Karambir Singh. “Indo-Pacific brings with it attendant and evolving challenges where the rules of the game are changing. We need to exist and compete in this evolving paradigm,” he said on Friday.
Competition in the region is getting diverse and expanding beyond military. “As the basic precepts of the maritime orientation of the Indo-Pacific are challenged, competition in the Indo-Pacific is also becoming more diverse, involving levers of diplomacy, commerce, ideology, values, science and technology — apart from the military.” Admiral Singh pointed out.
He was speaking on “Transforming the Indian Navy to be a key maritime force in the Indo-Pacific” at the United Service Institution of India (USI), which completed 150 years. Admiral Singh said autocratic powers have the advantage. “We must face the fact that autocratic powers enjoy a natural advantage within this competition continuum, applying all the leverages in focussed manner. Something that we can call ‘Sharp Power’ to undermine and weaken the very sources of power of a democracy — attacking free media, social media, election processes, financial institutions, etc ... turning strengths of democratic nations into weaknesses.”
The Indo-Pacific comprises seven of India’s top 10 export destinations, with 90% of overall trade by volume and 70% by value, transported by the seas. About 80% of oil, half of natural gas and half of LPG is imported from Indo-Pacific nations.