HOW WILL THE TATAS TURN AROUND A SHIP WRECKED AIR INDIA?

 DON’T JUDGE THE PERFORMANCE OF AIR INDIA IN TRANSITION

MODERATING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS

The post-COVID recovery of air travel, both domestic and international have seen a very rapid increase in passenger load. Air India/IA had long ceased to be the front runner in the domestic segment owing to the prevailing competitive environment. Having virtually run it aground, the Govt took a wise decision to privatize the airline. Given that Air India on privatization was prevailed upon to retain the personnel for one year, no apparent changes can be expected to the services provided to the customer as a whole until the new dispensation kicks in.

Ergo, the option to consider flying Air India becomes viable in the international sector, especially for the non-stop run to various locations in the USA. Very few agents would provide guidance on the best fares as also the services provided to passengers. Having opted to fly Air India from Delhi to Newark and back which included the domestic segment from Mumbai to Delhi too, my observations on Ground staff, Aircrew, and Lounge facilities are contained in the succeeding paragraphs. The sole intent is to assist those passengers not aware of the interim challenges of privatizing a public-sector, loss-making enterprise and its repercussions on providing quality services in the short term.  

Ground staff

When compared to the leading domestic agencies such as Indigo, and Vistara, it becomes apparent that the training of the Air India staff needs to be made stringent to improve passenger handling across the board. Let me start with the uniform, which perse plays an important role in enhancing their deportment and poise. I have no doubt that the new management is aware of the lack of sartorial elegance and less than acceptable communication skills among the lower segment of the ground staff. The customer/passenger is expected to receive undivided attention at all times. At the Business class check-in counter, it is disconcerting to see hordes of Air India pilots discussing the availability of jump seats or spare seats at the cost of according priority to the full fare paying customers. Changes in basic information inputs such as address at the destination in the USA being a recent addition, tend to hold up the smooth transaction for checking in.

The most jarring ground staff behavior was noticed at the departure gate from Delhi to Newark. The duty staff trickle in even as the passengers arrive well before departure. Young male employees with rough edges hang around the counter waiting to practice pre-departure announcements. It is here that their lack of skills begins to be exposed. The arrival of the more seasoned ground staff results in loud chatting on the latest gossip on turf war related to the professionalization of the airline. Meanwhile, the announcement about the final preboarding screening of hand baggage may help the passengers to line up once again, but that can wait. The head honcho arrives just in time and decides that the fitted chairs in which exhausted passengers are seated need to be uprooted and shifted to provide space for lining up the passengers. It is a comedy act except that they were recruited not as comedians. Why was I, a business class passenger watching this scene much before departure? It is because the Air India lounge had turned into a sauna. More of it later.

As soon as the last screening of hand baggage was completed and a final queue formed, I witnessed a most unusual sight. Two young employees equipped with handheld weighing machines started to randomly weigh the handbags. Needless to say, they found excess weights amounting to a payment of up to Rs 26000 in some cases as excess baggage. The modalities of payment were not clear and even worse I could not observe whether deals were struck with emotionally charged “culprits.” The employees were no different from traffic cops cornering offenders. So Chaotic was the scene that with a business ticket in hand I was being moved from queue to queue when a perfectly regal gate was available for direct embarkation of Business and First-class passengers. Quite clearly the recruitment of ground staff was not based on meritocracy but perhaps nepotism.

Lounge Facilities

Given the waiting time at each of the Airports for connecting flights, which run into many hours, one expects reasonable facilities. In Mumbai, the Adani Lounge is being shared by Air India. It turned out to be more than satisfactory in all respects. Heavenly, in this instance, as I was to discover in Delhi.

The transfer facilities from domestic to International in Delhi being an airport-run facility needs a separate discussion beyond the scope of this article. In brief, after a grueling walkathon and long queues for immigration and the prospect of waiting for five hours, one is tempted to head straight to the Business class Air India lounge hoping for a tuck-in and a bit of shut-eye.  The charming ground hostess at the desk does not consider it necessary to warn unsuspecting passengers that they are about to enter a “Sauna”. In a few minutes, one begins to realize that the ambient temperature in the rest of the airport was more than comfortable. The prospect of getting slowly roasted for six hours drives one back to the shopping zone or the boarding gate. A Hobson’s choice. When asked about the air-conditioning there is a standard response that it is under maintenance. A bit of prodding reveals that numerous complaints have been made by passengers and that a princely sum had just been expended on repairs! This is how a Govt employee would respond. Attitudinal changes would take longer based on fresh induction and sacking of the dead wood.

Ten days later when I returned, the lounge continued to be in the same state of disrepair.

The Cabin Crew

Among my generation of senior citizens, whilst in service, we often traveled Business class and later in the First class. The service was remarkably good even when the Airline was sinking deeper into debt. And so it was as expected-courteous to a fault and ever attendant. However, the lady staff were at least two notches below in performance. They looked ill-attired and exhausted as compared to the male pursers. I found purser Udupa to be one of the best. So, what was deficient? The aircraft that fly the extended route of 13 to 15 hours are the old ones of the 2008 vintage. The dream liner is reserved for esoteric sectors in the USA. What is the penalty? A large number of flight entertainment systems are non-operational. Even the graphical presentation of the aircraft position was not available to most. Thanks to laptops and notebooks loaded with movies passengers do not appear to demand inflight entertainment. That they are not available should be a cause for concern to the airline.

More importantly, the reclining seat turned bed has two versions depending on the vintage of the aircraft. Age has caught up with the mechanical system leading to unsatisfactory performance of the very system that passengers have paid for. That the cabin crew quite used to it continue to cheerfully perform their duties is noteworthy.

Finally, the pilots who are unseen and sometimes unheard too came right within my zone of observation on this occasion during my last leg of the domestic segment from Delhi to Mumbai. A large number of them who had completed their international flights rushed into business class as is their entitlement. I was perhaps the only ticket holder returning home. Their loud banter was all about why the roster for flying was skewed and what or who needs to set them right. Some dirty linen was being washed quite non- chalantly.

A Passenger’s Perspective

Quite clearly the demand particularly in Sep/Oct is rather high. High enough for passengers to pay a heavy price for non-existing facilities. Was it a coincidence that no foreign passengers were sighted in the fully booked business class and first-class zone? But to convince them that a turnaround is possible in the near term, the management may wish to communicate the reorganization/modernization plans to retain their faith in a privatized airline. Well-meaning passengers are soon likely to choose other airliners until there is plausible evidence of change in the near future. As one who followed the negotiations prior to the takeover, I would not be off the mark to expect real international standards of assets, human resources, and infrastructure to be in place earlier than 2026. I am sure wizards are working hard to change the most visible shortcomings even as midterm efforts bear fruit.

It would give us great pleasure when the Maharaja finally regains his reputation and poise and the members of the crew are attired in appropriate uniforms and once again gracefully rule the skies.

 

REFORMS AND REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACIES. {EDITED VERSION WAS CARRIED IN DELHI GUARDIAN ON 24 JUNE 2022)

 What ails India? - "We the people" or faulty structures.

 

The question that repeatedly haunts us is what is wrong with India when there is so much right happening around us. Why are path-breaking reforms that were pending for decades, resisted after they are legislated? The backlash to the most recent much-needed Military reforms, preceded by the farmers' bill, labour reforms, etc. are perhaps symptoms of a disease that is yet to be fully understood. Its contours are obliquely discussed in debates both in print and social media.

The first basic question is how many of us understand the difference between representative democracy and participatory /direct democracy? For the record, we are a representative democracy where the elected representatives are expected to debate, provide inputs from their constituencies and enable the passing of legislation that push India into the next century. That the parliament does not function and that all political parties play to the gallery, are there for all to see. But there is no angst, peaceful marches, or even vandalism to show our rejection of petty politics on display. Ironically, one hears seasoned journalists, academics, and educated commentators state that not enough consultations with the people have been done and hence the backlash. Really? On a variety of complex social, economic, industrial, and military legislations or executive decisions, can we have open consultations with a billion people-largely uninformed due to literacy/education-related constraints?  No.

 Another politician claimed that no consultations were held with the State Govt on the subject of Agnipath but went blank when he was confronted with the fact that Defence is not on the concurrent list. The entire Kargil review committee recommendations were handled in Delhi and major structural reforms such as the creation of the tri-service command at Port Blair and the Strategic Forces Command were executed by the PM on the advice of the Group of Ministers. Had they been open to public scrutiny none of these would have been established.

That is why we have a representative form of democracy. Here lies the next challenge. Due to the very nature of politics right from independence, sane, educated, well-meaning and knowledgeable citizens do not wish to participate in the money-muscle power-driven elections. Even the most talented, patriotic, and affluent citizen cannot hope to win an election. Criminals and those who impress the poor with material or political promises of freebies will ensure that outstanding technocrats never succeed. Hence the preferred route of Rajya Sabha for the truly deserving.  

Now, coming to “we the people.” Those of us who are educated, comfortable, and well-endowed while participating incessantly on social media and rarely in print, do not bother to vote. The only means to eliminate criminals and frauds from being elected is to participate with the EC to stem the tide of self-serving, corrupt, or even dynastic politicians. Holding the political party accountable for noncompliance with manifestos and rejecting freebies with severe fiscal and financial liabilities on much-needed public funds are essential features for reforms at the people’s end. We have a responsibility that we have willfully shunned, as we the people do not necessarily wish to participate in the process of finding the right people to represent us. The media does not believe in exposing our politicians to well-informed debates.

The latest reform concerning the Military is being debated with elected representatives who neither know the ranks and structure of the Military nor even the difference between recruiting soldiers and the selection process of officers. Just recently an educated politician referred to the former Army Chief Gen JJ Singh as Major. But he waxed eloquent on the reforms perse.

Veterans who participate in debates are guilty of indirectly accusing the present military leadership (who are the only accountable people for operations), of the most elementary consequences of such reforms: as if the knowledge resides only in them. By so doing in public, they are casting aspersions on the competence of the serving community. For the record, they all begin their argument with how timely such a bold reform is. But……and this is precisely the first red flag for creating confusion that could affect the morale of the serving community; when the serving Chiefs have repeatedly assured that they will plug loopholes as they progress.

 Perhaps such senior veterans were too busy in their careers and forgot to mentor and train their subordinates who now occupy decision-making positions. You reap as you sow.

The most important lesson is that, when a decision is taken, after consultations with stakeholders and the details are not available to the veterans, the best way is to communicate with the current military leadership directly. That would be of immense value than debating with an anchor on a TRP hunt and a panel of bumbling politicians.

Mr K Subramanyam, the doyen of the strategic community till the 1990s and the Chairman of the Kargil Review Committee, once said, “The politician enjoys power without responsibility. The bureaucrat wields power without accountability and the Military assumes responsibility without direction.”

The recommendations of the Arun Singh committee report were to specifically address this lacuna by integrating the services with the MOD and creating a single-point adviser to the RM/PM on matters military through CDS. It took 18 years to begin the process and create structures. We must learn to be patient with this newborn setup. The new CDS is likely to assume duty soon. We are moving along the right path.

But India needs significant reforms in administration, police, and judicial sectors along with labour, land, and agriculture to take her to the next level of eminence in international politics. There are enough lessons learnt to attempt all of these if there is a will.

  

TRYING TO REMINISCE WITH SAMIR BANGARA-CHATTING WITH AN INEXTINGUISHABLE FLAME

                                        Exactly a year ago I posted this message. https://scsbangara.blogspot.com/2021/06/in-memoriam-samir-bangara-1974-2020.html

 

 It has been difficult to accept that two full years have gone by since you abruptly left us. True to our understanding of life and death and the philosophy of always seeing the glass half full, I shall try to narrate my observations on the legacies you left behind.

 Sometimes I feel that a tombstone with an appropriate epitaph is a good place to chat. But then, it was with great wisdom that our ancestors chose the path from dust to dust. Your close friends made sure despite COVID being at its peak, a part of your remains was given a royal send-off at the prettiest and the holiest river site. The family watched you glide past the favourite location at the approaches to the Mumbai harbour where your mother too rested. Makes me proud of having served Lord Varuna for decades

In my last message, I said that I am willing to wager that you will not be forgotten just because you are out of sight. I am delighted that your creation, QYUKI has continued to grow in strength. Also, your home radiates your presence in all the activities. Avantika, your devoted wife,  a mother par excellence, and a caring daughter-in-law describes it as “ the Ocean of happiness he left behind”. That in turn enables us to face the roller coaster ride of life.

 

 And so, when I was invited to join QYUKI at the inaugural session of the well-laid out and modern office complex, I was delighted to accept it and to address all, including those who have joined the company after your departure. The old faithful lot was present even on a Sunday, but the new staff who have only heard about you were equally enthusiastic to interact with the Bangara family. Raihan and Jahnavi were equally excited for another reason. As you can see from the picture below, a massive mural of you has been strategically located on the wall of the large hall.

 

 

 

 

You know what, where ever one stands in the hall, you can be seen! Much like a ubiquitous big brother!

 On two occasions in my life, I have seen another phenomenon. First at the louvre in Paris, when one looked at Mona Lisa from no matter where in the gallery, she seemed to look at you. The second is the framed picture of your mother, which sits beside yours, now in my living room. You had got that done on that fateful day when she preceded you by two years. Her eyes appear to follow you as you move around the room. I am told it is to do with the angle of the camera shot. But who cares, so long as she makes her presence felt at all times. Who knew that I was doomed to frame your picture even before my time was up? Perhaps you are already back in another avatar to do greater good to all those who continue to touch your life.

I have not reconciled to my loss. But on reflection, my loss appears less intense when compared to so many who do not have the family support that I have. Quite serendipitously, a point-driven home often in my current occupation of assisting terminally sick patients. Perhaps a divine intervention to mitigate or alleviate my pain. It acts as a balm to my soul.

 

 It is heartening to see young Raihan preparing to go for higher studies this fall. People see a lot of you in him. I have no doubt that he will be guided in all that he does by that invisible hand made visible by what he carries on his cell-your hand covering all theirs on your last journey. Symbolic, and it is meant perhaps for the whole family.

When asked about the pain deep within me, a wise nonagenarian who still is my mentor, replied,” the pain never goes away but it will be filled with sweet memories with time.” Yes, thankfully time is finite as I walk into my sunset.

Take care my son-Au Revoir!

ps "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same; ...." so wrote Rudyard Kipling in his poem "IF." My apologies for cherry-picking just what I needed now to reaffirm my faith in treating both with equanimity. 

 

 

MODI@20 My thoughts

 MODI@20 (COURTESY DELHI GUARDIAN-17 MAY 22)

STYLES OF LEADERSHIP-A MILITARY POINT OF VIEW

While watching the Modi@20 book release function on a news channel, it occurred to me that I was perhaps one of the few retired senior officers of the Military who had the opportunity to observe Modi closely for nearly four years in Gujarat. It was in 2010 when I was sitting through the interview of potential civil servants at the UPSC, that I was head-hunted by a polite senior technocrat to advise the Govt of Gujarat on an exciting infrastructure project. Having been at sea most of my naval career and having had enough to do with the bureaucracy at Delhi, I politely declined his offer. Suffice it to say, he was persistent and with a broad smile, he asked me to check the details of the project which was to be built across the Gulf of Khambat. Mesmerized by the sheer audacity of the thought behind the project, I set conditions for my acceptance, the first being that I would not report to any bureaucrat but the Adviser to the CM. I knew next to nothing about the CM.

Within the month I was in. The following four years were perhaps the most rewarding from the point of view of submitting reports based on interactions with the best experts in about 100 different areas that directly contributed to the preparation of a detailed Project Report. I resigned the week when Modi decided to head to Delhi only because the project had completed about 90 % of the compilation and I knew that without the firm hand of the CM at the wheel, it was doomed to be consigned to the bins of the bureaucracy. To those who may doubt the intent of my piece, in the preceding 8 years neither have I met Modi nor interacted with him in any which way. So, here is my take on his leadership as seen through a Military lens.

While I was determined to make my teamwork in a timely and disciplined manner, I noticed that the bureaucracy had gotten used to arriving on time and submitting reports as scheduled. The progress of files was monitored through an app at the CM's office. In all my decades of dealing with the MOD, I had rarely, if at all, seen the disciplined and time-bound progress of files.  Decision-making was swift. Most senior civil servants who were not used to computers were struggling to make PowerPoint presentations to the CM. I needed to submit my work to the Technocrat, who was experienced and senior and the decisions of the CM were recorded before I returned to Ahmedabad in 10 days. For the first time in a long career, I did not have to wait outside anyone’s office. Seemingly controversial recommendations against “conventional wisdom” of governance were not questioned except on one occasion in four years.

The CM while fully au fait with the project, was dealing with multiple issues of governance including live video conferences with Panchayat level leadership. Styles of leadership is a favourite Military theme. Having seen many top leaders of our own Military, I was able to observe the leadership traits of the CM from the sidelines without being hagiographic.

Consequently, the question that arose in my mind is how could a person not exposed to formal education and experience with Governance, be so well versed with data, facts and ask all the right questions on the subject.  So I began to compare his style with the best military leaders of my time-about 40 years-and was able to find answers to most questions. Ironically, however, the Military officers were all trained and exposed to styles of leadership before they ascended the ladder, step by step. Ergo, what then was this Modi model all about?

It has taken many years of observation after he took over as PM and despite the fact that I had predicted that Gujarat was not Delhi and that the bucket of crabs in Delhi would soon pull him down; I have had to eat my hat!

The only logical answer to my question is that serving as a pracharak gives one a rare opportunity to watch and study while working with the common man. I looked for documentation on how a pracharak is selected for grooming and traveling overseas. Modi grabbed every opportunity to watch and learn. I am yet to see a document on moulding a pracharak. Service before self, India first, and welfare of the citizen (read soldier) are all Military values too. The pracharak learns how to be professional and disciplined and not to look for gains both material and financial. Dedication to the cause that has served the Military through the decades is a very similar model.

Have you wondered why Modi walks like a soldier and more importantly salutes like one? Is he a complete package with no flaws? Of course not, but neither did I meet one in the Military-even as I adored just a few.

 

 OUR SOJOURN IN KASHMIR-MARCH/APRIL2022

The idea of visiting Kashmir was as novel as it was timely. My grandson Raihan was about to enter the portals of an American university in autumn. He had never visited the valley which is often called the Switzerland of India.  Ironically, he had visited Switzerland a couple of years ago. Ergo, a plan was hatched to spend time at Srinagar, followed by a quick dash to Pahalgam and thence to Gulmarg. The security concern in the valley was a factor while planning this visit. It was soon relegated to the lowest priority during the visit. Having visited the valley two decades ago, it was gratifying to see the sheer number of tourists; as per official estimates 1.8 lakhs and increasing by the month. All flights in and out of Srinagar were packed to capacity. Tourist buses and taxis were pouring in along with private cars from various parts of India. 

For the local population, this has provided ample opportunities to rise to the demands of unprecedented pressure on accommodation, transportation, and marketing of their precious wares from the Dal Lake to the dizzy heights of 14000 feet. Let me describe our experience on each of these critical factors that may assist those who are fence-sitters and those who rely only on the Electronic and print media to gauge the mood of the people of Kashmir before finalizing their itinerary.

On paper, there are all kinds of accommodations to suit the purse of tourists from all segments of society. The most expensive 5* hotels were the first to declare “sold out”. At the peak of mid-March to early April one couldn’t get a room even for one night at a princely cost of Rs40000 a night (Excluding GST). However, boutique hotels with limited rooms but with personalized service were available, but by no means at the rates known earlier. Typically, visiting websites with exaggerated colour pictures of boarding and lodging facilities may not be the best option to exercise while booking. Local knowledge and/or consultations with recent visitors are essential to avoid surprises of the unwelcome kind.

An associated factor linked to the availability of suitable accommodation is the oft-repeated question of when you should visit the valley. The short answer is through the year, depending on one’s predilections!  Strictly, the valley at its coldest in December with the heaviest snowfall is avoidable. The famous Tulip Garden is in full bloom only for a month in April. But the beautiful flowers and fruits are best viewed in July/August. If fresh snow is to be experienced, it is after October. Every week after Mid-March the next snowfall would entail proceeding to higher reaches to enjoy the sights of snow peaks. For instance, the second-highest skiing slopes in the world are off Gulmarg-about a two-hour drive from Srinagar. The cable car first takes you to about 10000 feet and to 14000 should you wish to access more snow. In April, the first stage may disappoint those who wish to roll in snow as it starts to rapidly melt. In this case, the second stage becomes a must-see destination.

In terms of organization and facilities, be warned that the mere availability of rooms at the expensive hotels at Gulmarg does not guarantee easy access to the cable car. The peak season implies that the wait at the cable car station in a long winding queue could be as long as 2hours to 3 hours if you are lucky to obtain tickets through the internet. Agents abound, but strict security and safety measures discourage VIPism. There are no small prints that tell you all this. Most tourists exit Gulmarg the same day. Taxis from Srinagar are not permitted to ply in Gulmarg beyond the pickup and drop zone. In brief, there are no local residents at Gulmarg. Tangmarg is the nearest township at the foothills. Unlike in Srinagar where digital money transactions happen, there is a need to use cash at the upper regions of hills-partly due to connectivity and largely due to ignorance among senior citizens of service providers. The new generation is tech-savvy.

Foreign tourists arrive after a fresh snowfall, mainly to ski. In any event at Gulmarg, the existing boarding and lodging infrastructure is very limited to cater to routine Indian tourists. That is likely to change when the new infrastructure plan for Kashmir kicks in. Upgrading tourist infrastructure to meet international standards would go a long way to put Gulmarg on the world map. 

                                                       

Transportation is a critical cog that turns the tourist wagon wheel. Hired cars for city use for quick inter-town visits with a guide are available. However, during the peak season, the traffic is chaotic and palpably dangerous as traffic rules and road discipline are conspicuously absent in their practice. The most sought-after location of the Tulip Garden may take long to access but the pain is soon forgotten when the magnificent burst of colours hit your retina. The redeeming feature may well be loud but musical overtones of the Kashmiri language with little or no threat of a physical confrontation caused by road rage as witnessed in other cities. The only noticeable absence is the products of Mahindra on the roads. Almost all drivers claimed that the extreme winter conditions pose technical problems such as starting- not encountered by other brands.

Handicrafts and weaving skills of the people of Kashmir appear to be intact despite the negative downstream effects of the pandemic and decades of political instability. It would appear that a few good years of tourism and up-gradation of infrastructure along with an economic upturn accompanied by the entry of industry would see the emergence of a new Kashmir. 

Finally, more than staying in a static houseboat with all its novelty, a boat ride on the Dal lake opens an entirely illuminating experience of storytelling, community marketing, exposure to delicate and stunning homemade handicrafts, and insight into the traditions and culture of the valley. Salesmanship using charm, linguistic skills, resilience, and sheer perseverance are on display at all times. A visit is worth more than reading books on sales and marketing. It was exhilarating, invigorating, and breathtaking. “……hameen ast  o hameen ast o hameen ast”. Right?

GEO-POLITICS OF COLD WAR -HOW IT IMPACTED THE INDO-PAK MARITIME OPERATIONS IN 1971 

( First Published in a CLAWS book titled "Bijoy with synergy: India-Pakistan war 1971)

The oft-repeated story of the historic attack off Karachi, by the Indian navy in December 1971, has broadly focused on the strategic and tactical brilliance of its concept and execution. The severe blow to the Pakistan Navy so early in the war had devastating ramifications on the morale and subsequent deployment of their naval assets. More importantly, logistic support from West Pakistan to East Pakistan was choked by the actions taken by the Western and Eastern Fleets of the Indian Navy. 

A post facto analysis befits the occasion of the Golden jubilee activities currently in progress. The cold war between the USA and the Soviet Union had reached a crescendo by 1960. Ironically Soviets and the Chinese had begun to escalate border skirmishes on the Sino- Soviet border just when India was desperately seeking assistance for up-gradation and modernization of the Indian Armed forces in the wake of the Chinese invasion. The Americans had rushed some hardware in response to our appeal to stall the Chinese. In our effort to remain non-aligned during the cold war, we had soured our relationship with the West. That we were seen to be leaning towards USSR, led to unforeseen consequences even before the Indo-Soviet Friendship treaty was signed. One such event was the sudden decision of the UK not to release the top-of-the-line submarine, the Oberon class to India. This, despite the training of the first few batches of selected Indian officers and sailors, had been completed. 

 Pakistan on the other hand was benefitting from the status she enjoyed as an active member of the SEATO and CENTO from 1954. Not only did she receive financial aid and grants periodically but was well supported by front-line Military platforms, sensors, and weapons from NATO allies too. The induction of the Daphne Class submarines from France was almost completed in the late 1960s much before the Indian Navy acquired its first submarine from the Soviet Union. In the mid-1960s a series of acquisition agreements were signed by India with the Soviet Union which continued for the next 40 years and even after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. 

 

What is often glossed over is that a predominantly Western-trained and equipped Navy of India had to grapple with tectonic changes related to manning, training, logistics, language, more importantly operations and tactics of the Soviet Block. The challenges were unprecedented. 

 This narration aims to exemplify those challenges faced by the Indian Navy and the ramifications that opened the door to a syncretic approach, much like eclecticism, that enriched the Navy in particular. Ergo, what follows is the author’s postulate necessarily drawn from a rear-view perspective. 

 The Soviet package negotiated for the Navy in the mid-1960s consisted of a wide array of surface ships, submarines, and aircraft. Eight Osa class Missile boats with four surface to surface missiles each formed a part of the modernization package on offer. For purposes of brevity, communications, and secrecy they were christened as AK Boats. AK was the initials of the then CNS, Admiral AK Chatterji. Given that the Navy was the smallest service, and that it had just completed the induction of an aircraft carrier from the British, in 1961, it is axiomatic that the manpower needs multiplied dramatically. The Navy chose to use the short service commission route of induction with reduced training and flexible employment, based purely on performance appraisals. In the below officer category, to cater for possible technology updates the Artificer entry for mechanical and electrical personnel was beefed up. The missile boat crew consisting of eight sets of personnel with a spare crew and the Squadron staff, and personnel of the missile preparation facility to be set up ashore, left for the Soviet Union in June 1969. The author was the second in command of the boat to be named INS Veer later. 

The entire crew was transferred from the Moscow international airport to Vladivostok via Khabarovsk, in a giant and noisy aircraft on a 14-hour sortie. That we had to transfer to smaller aircraft to our final destination was due to the confrontation on the Sino-Soviet border between the two communist states and the proximity of Vladivostok to the conflict zone. At that point in history, we were unaware of the power struggle inextricably linked to the Cold war and which resulted in the USA cozying up with China. Hence, events that unfolded between 1969 and 1972 and are now available in the public domain, reveal a link that needs to be contextualized for the benefit of the reader. Kissinger, in July1971, was able to make his first visit to China after Pakistan played a facilitator’s role. It would be reasonable to assume that the preparatory work kept under tight wraps commenced much earlier. The groundwork for Nixon to make history in 1972 quite clearly overshadowed the developing events in South Asia. Pakistan as a facilitator, held a trump card that could be used to get the fullest backing of the United States Govt should there be an Indo-Pak conflict. No less than the Secretary of State was in constant dialogue with the Pak leadership. Declassified documents of the Nixon-Indira Gandhi meeting clearly prove the antagonism that existed between the two leaders. Kissinger duly supported the sentiments of his President, as India was seen to be firmly in the Soviet camp. In retrospect, the British Govt’s decision to deny us the top-end submarine and the French resolve to equip Pakistan with Daphne Class submarines are but some connected examples of the Geo-Politics of the era. 

Another fact that bears scrutiny is the deployment of Task Force 74 led by the USS Enterprise in the Bay of Bengal in Dec 1971 in support of Pakistan. The Soviet Union reportedly neutralized the intent of the Task Force by deploying both surface ships and nuclear submarines in the vicinity. 

In our context, these were remarkable events born out of the raging cold war and its impact on Indian Maritime operations. Going back to 1969, In all the calculus and imponderables associated with shifting to the Soviet philosophy of training from purely Western-oriented methodologies, it would now appear that we underestimated some of its consequences. When the need to lean on the Soviet union arose in the mid-1960s, the Military in India had the least knowledge of what lay behind the Iron curtain. Until then most nations that proceeded to the Soviet Union for acquisition and training were either from the Warsaw pact or from autocratic/military Govts opposed to the Western- NATO-led alliance. Briefly, none in our chain of Command could have foreseen the challenges and conflicts that could euphemistically be termed a “clash of civilization”.

 

A smaller version of the Osa class, the Komar, acquired by Egypt had sunk an Israeli Frigate in 1967. However, in a blue-water environment, the boat was meant to be a defensive asset, as its endurance had to be necessarily linked to its fuel carrying capacity. Equipped with high-speed diesel engines adapted from an aircraft engine the boat could speedily ingress and egress in a limited theatre of war. They could be manufactured in large numbers to enable them to carry out divisional attacks from multi directions to saturate the defenses of the enemy Aircraft Carrier, should it venture closer to the coast. This was a quantum jump in technology for the Indian navy. 

The Indian Submariners and Petya class crew were already being trained on an Island off Vladivostok when the Missile boat crew landed in the summer of 1969. On arrival, the first challenge was the language. There were no interpreters to assist in basic communication needs. Desperation and necessity for routine needs drove the crew to acquire proficiency in record time. Most Indians spoke multiple languages. That in particular aided correct pronunciation and learning difficult syntax and phonetics/phonology. Within a few months, some officers were able to recite Russian poetry and dwell in serious literature. A level of comfort that takes years of study. Clearly, the Russians had not encountered professional competence and ability to absorb technical content in comparison to others who had trained with them.

 On the flip side, their routine activity of subtly introducing Communism as an ideology to our sailors, often without our officers being present, met with little success. Many factors thwarted their subtle efforts. The Indian officers and sailors bonded as never before due to the extraordinary environment. Winter hit -32c, we were both limited in our ability to communicate with the Soviets, the accommodation and food continued to be irritants, we were all denied the opportunity to visit the city except on weekends as the boats from the island were controlled. Interaction with the locals was discouraged as Vladivostok being on the fringes of the East was always short of resources and was akin to a secret city where their nuclear submarines were based. All in all, these very conditions aided our ability to bond with our men. Also, the lack of freedom to travel provided the rare opportunity to focus on our training and master the subject of surface- to- surface missiles. The training facilities were more than adequate and the instructors were experts on their subject. 

The post-training evaluation process and crew efficiency on all aspects of the boat ensured grading of the crew as a whole for combat efficiency. For the Squadron Commander, this was an invaluable input. The invisible dividends of being exposed to both Western and Eastern philosophies did result in some turbulence too, in structuring the training for Soviet origin platforms, and later the Indian built warships that began to populate our asset holding. It was not seamless particularly when the Soviet Union collapsed. The long chain of training facilities along with the supply chain of logistics collapsed when the Union broke into smaller states. 

 Although we had increased our dependency on USSR in all three dimensions, we maintained our connections with the West for courses and procurement of selected sensors and armament. Moreover, systems from the west and their integration with Indian platforms were ensured through setting up organizations specifically to marry eastern and western systems onboard Indian platforms.

 

In summary, the Indian Military saga of the Cold war era and after, is a captivating chapter with valuable lessons for the future. When India begins to speed up arms export to friendly countries, our experience of the cold war, if documented, would be of value.