Understanding the current scenario between India and China Part 5
Converting the Indian army from a continental power to an oceanic power
Very recently Admiral Raja Menon of the Indian Navy has recently called for India to completely shift from the continental land war (two-front war) mode and shift to ocean mode (become a naval power). This strategy includes to occupy and operate naval bases in the Nicobar and perpetually occupy and operate a military naval base at Oman.
1. In my view there is a legacy issue involved in this. Historically the last naval power from the South Asian region were the Chola empire whose South-East Asian empire lasted from AD 1010 - 1070 CE. This means almost a millennium has passed since the last naval empire of South Asia did reign the earth. A lack of historical memory for this period in the popular cultural realm does not encourage going back to glory for that period.
2. The Turkish, Mughal and British periods saw Indian armies being organized into war machines which looked to defend the land frontiers of these empires. This is the colonial legacy that even today's Indian army carries. It is not easy to change millennial habits for nations whose sense of popular memories have been shaped by colonial experiences and whose most important public institutions have been nurtured by colonial practices.
3. Moreover the colonial powers in the region and in particular the British and the Americans have always played the role of the primary Naval power in the Indian ocean region and they are not willing to give up that role for the Indian Navy.
4. What the Americans and other Anglophone powers are like to see is the Indian Army play the role of the back stopper of the empire in the Tibetan border while the American navy play the role of the defender of the Indian ocean. If an war erupts in the Taiwan sea then the US navy can come to fight the Chinese while knowing that the Indian army will be keeping their back in the Himalayas.
5. India's LoC and Kashmir insurgency are problems that the Indian army did tackle largely by posting a huge army on the border to stop infiltration from the Pakistani side. In the post 370 space that role may be very valuable given the current situation in Afghanistan. Most of Indian army leaders and policy makers understand war by these counter insurgency operations in Kashmir and Loc. In order to transform the army into an oceanic power a complete structural change has to be brought to the war culture of the Indian army.
6. To conclude two significant issues prevent the Indian army to completely transform itself into an oceanic power. These are the legacy issues as well as counter insurgency duties in Kashmir. It is unlikely that the Indian army will completely transform itself into an oceanic power without resolving these two issues.