Naval ship enters Vietnam waters on its way to Japan
Two developments on Friday, several hundred kilometres apart, emphatically captured India’s naval challenges and growing opportunities.
Around the time Navy Chief Admiral R.K Dhowan began his official tour of Australia on Friday, an Indian naval ship entered Vietnam waters on its way to Japan.
In the backdrop of both the developments, hangs the shadow of China’s growing naval assertiveness in the region, and India’s new-found aggression to build partnerships both as a response to China as well as part of its role as a major maritime force of the Indian Ocean.
Navy chief in Australia
Admiral Dhowan will be part of a gathering of over 40 naval chiefs in Australia discussing ways to improve maritime security and ensure freedom of navigation, especially for global cargo.
His visit comes a few days after the navies of India and Australia wrapped up their first bilateral naval exercises focussed on anti-submarine warfare.
An official statement said Admiral Dhowan’s visit “aims to consolidate existing maritime cooperation initiatives as well as explore new avenues.” His visit will coincide with the annual ‘Sea Power Conference’ organised by the Australia Navy, and attended by over 40 chiefs of navies.
The statement pointed out that both India and Australia have several commonalities.
Cooperation
The defence cooperation between the two sides has been growing steadily in recent years, with the signing of a Defence Cooperation Agreement in 2006 as well as a Framework for Defence Cooperation in November 2014.
Naval ship enters Vietnam waters on its way to Japan
