Navy's focus on combat readiness ensured ship deployment after Pahalgam attack: Govt to Parliament panel
India launched
Operation Sindoor
early on May 7 to strike terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack.
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In light of the "evolving threats and geopolitical dynamics" in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the Committee of External Affairs has said that it was keen to learn about India's long-term strategy to ensure maritime security and maintain regional stability.
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The report on 'Evaluation of India's Indian Ocean Strategy' by the panel, headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, was presented in Parliament on Monday.
The Defence Ministry, in its response to the panel's query, said that "India's long-term strategy in the maritime domain aims to counter threats like piracy, trafficking, illegal fishing, maritime terrorism, natural calamities and complex geopolitical dynamics by pursuing five distinct strategies".
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Building a combat-ready navy to meet India's future maritime security needs, and deterrence through "capability, posture, and communication of intent" were the other critical points mentioned by the ministry in its response.
"The focus of the Indian Navy towards ensuring combat readiness, through successful surface, air and sub-surface firings, enabled ships to be deployed for 'Op Sindoor' within 96 hours of the terrorist attack, with hundreds of missiles embarked," the defence ministry told the panel.
It further said the Navy's focus is on "building credible deterrence by modernising our fleet with capable multi-dimensional platforms while also integrating emerging technologies to monitor and secure critical SLOCs (sea lines of communication) and choke points".
Operation Sindoor, carried out in the early hours of May 7, led to a four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan that was halted after an understanding was reached between the two sides on May 10.
Director General of Naval Operations, Vice Admiral A N Pramod, on May 11, said that the Indian Navy's carrier battle group, submarines and aviation assets were immediately deployed at sea with full combat readiness in the aftermath of the Pahalgam strike.
The naval forces remained forward deployed in the northern Arabian Sea in a "dissuasive and deterrent" posture, with full readiness to strike select targets at sea and on land, including Karachi, at a time of our choosing.
The defence ministry, in its response to the panel, also mentioned India's vision for "shaping a favourable and positive maritime environment to enhance cooperation with maritime forces of friendly nations".
"Additionally, IN (Indian Navy) will pursue its efforts to be the preferred security partner and first responder guided by the GoI's (Government of India's) vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement of Security and Growth Across Regions)," it said.
Enumerating the key objectives that will guide India's naval and maritime policies in the coming decade, the Defence Ministry also stated that India's naval and maritime policies in the coming decade will be guided by the
Indian Navy Vision 2047
.
"These objectives also reinforce the overarching vision of 'MAHASAGAR', which signifies India's vision to expand its influence and impact globally, using the seas as a conduit," the report says.
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