CHINA'S ACHILLES HEEL (Courtesy Firstpost. 24 May 17)
Much has been written by experts, both within and without, on
the perceived isolation of India at the recent Belt and Road conference in
China. One set of strategic analysts suggest that we could have effectively
voiced our concerns at the conference rather than refusing to attend. As
always, multiple view points are held by those who neither have the
responsibility to face the repercussions of their suggestion nor the courage to
admit that they were wrong in assessing the situation.
Governments are equipped to take decisions based on historic
and a long term perspective of the problem . Irrespective of how they arrive at
a decision, which is more often by consensus resulting from inputs received
from a wide array of competent specialists and from those on the ground; they
are accountable for their actions. In the extant case, most experts tend to
give China the edge on almost all actions taken by Xi. It is not often that
decisions and actions taken by the Indian Government are appreciated and
supported .
Having been associated with affairs maritime and forging relations
with littoral nations, this article attempts to discuss just one aspect of
maritime related activities and initiatives-while being fully aware that there
are several others that need elaboration to substantiate my assertion.
While regular exercises with USA, Japan, France, Russia and
Australia are known to us, a lesser known fact is that Singapore has had close
maritime relations with India for many decades. The latest joint exercise between the two navies is
currently in progress in the South China sea. The Indian naval presence in
South China Sea is a regular feature in annual deployments to the East. This is
often forgotten when the occasional Chinese ship is deployed in our back yard. The
presence of a Chinese submarine in our neighbourhood is projected as a military
disaster by those who are unaware that Submarines in peace time are deployed
often in areas that become relevant in war. This is a universally accepted and
practiced concept, which ipso facto justifies the very induction of these
stealth platforms. There are no exceptions to this rule.
The Chinese Aircraft carrier programme has been in the news.
That the Indians have been in this business for over five decades is invariably
glossed over. Why is it relevant?
Just preparing pilots for carrier operations demands intense
basic training ashore under simulated conditions, followed by a crucial phase
of training them to operate at sea with confidence on a moving platform.
Consolidation in day operation in varying visibility and weather conditions is
followed by dusk operations and night flying. Dark night operations with
minimum deck lighting then leads to 24/7
combat flying with appropriate payload.
Emergency drills on board to handle aircraft engine failures,
crash on deck and scores of other incidents are mandatory processes.
Gaining proficiency in carrier flying thus requires time and
a generation of pilots need to continuously hone their skills before they can
claim full combat readiness.
The ship too needs to attain combat readiness while flight
operations of fixed and rotary wing aircraft are progressing apace. She has to
train her aircraft controllers, flight deck personnel, sensors and weapons
crew, engineering ,electrical and metrological departments and logistics and
medical sections.
That our carrier borne teams have performed consistently
well, as reflected while operating with other advanced navies, is attributed to
decades of experience hard-gained by the integrated crew.
Now the piece de resistance.
The Chinese not having had this background realised early in their carrier
induction cycle that training of aviation branch technical sailors and officers
by itself was a challenge that needed resolution. In 2005, they made a request
to the Indian Government to provide access to a team of Chinese navy aviators
lead by an Admiral to visit our aviation training facilities at Kochi.
Their request was granted and a team arrived at Kochi to see
class room instructions imparted to our sailors. This was followed by
discussions on the training methodology. The Admiral was completely and visibly
impressed that our sailors were being taught in English and that they were
proficient enough to handle their class room instructions on relatively
advanced and scientifically designed computer assisted courses. He found that the Russian method of imparting
instructions and indeed the subjects being taught were quite in variance, since
Carrier flying was a relatively new subject for the Russians who were still
evolving their syllabus.
The Indian navy had stolen a march with knowledge gained
through close interaction with leading carrier operating navies such as the
Royal British ,the French and the US navies over five decades of combat flying.
The Chinese respect our combat skills at sea more than any
other navy. Our regular presence in the disputed South China Sea is a challenge
they have had to live with, in the
backdrop of their rejection of the recent judgement of ICJ on Chinese claims in
the South China sea .
If China continues to challenge the rights of those who have
ratified the United Nations convention of the laws of the seas of which she too
is a signatory, how can she be trusted to honour the rights of those who
participate in the complex concept of Belt and Road initiatives, which have the
potential of violating basic rights of participating nations?
There are chinks in the Chinese armour.
