Although over 15,000 personnel are taking part in the ongoing Malabar naval exercise, India will be sending just 162 personnel for a joint exercise to Russia.
Although over 15,000 personnel are taking part in the ongoing Malabar naval exercise, India will be sending just 162 personnel for a joint exercise to Russia
NEW DELHI: Two days after the Malabar naval exercise, attended by over 15,000 personnel from five countries winds up in Bay of Bengal, a motley crowd of just about 162 personnel would leave on a transport aircraft for Russia to participate in a bilateral military exercise.
The contrast in size and sophistication of the two exercises speaks volumes of the generational gap between the way India’s bilateral military relations, especially in terms of inter-operability, has grown or suffered with the US and Russia over the past decade or so. Senior officers in the three services admit that their most advanced military exercises are with the Americans and there is significant gap in the sophistication of exercises with all other countries. “There are various reasons for the disparity, most importantly, the proactive initiatives taken by the Americans in actively courting us,” says a navy officer.
This aggressive American strategy of the past decade came when the post-Cold War Russia was struggling with its economic, political and social turmoils.
Some of those actively involved in decision-making in India’s growing military ties are wondering if Washington was “dictating terms” to the Indo-US defence relations than New Delhi. A senior Army officer pointed out a report commissioned in 2003 by the Pentagon where the roadmap for Indo-US relations was well spelt out from the US perspective.
The report had said, “American military officers are candid in their plans to eventually seek access to Indian bases and military infrastructure. India’s strategic location in the centre of Asia...makes it attractive to the US military.”
From very basic interaction between the Indian and US navies, Malabar series has now come into its own as one of the most complex military exercise in this part of the world. Two days after the Malabar exercise ends on September 9, a total of 162 military personnel-- 29 air force men and rest Army soldiers-would leave for Pskov in Russia for exercise Indra 07.
This exercise between September 11 and 20 wouldn’t match the level of sophistication that the Indo-US exercises involving Air Force and Army undertaken in the past few years.
Political assurances that India was engaged in military exercises with various countries doesn’t pass scrutiny in the face of the lopsided growth in Indo-US military ties almost at the neglect of a more balanced military relations with the emerging powers and resurgent nations. More nuanced military ties with these powers at such uncertain times would have been appreciated at least by many within the establishment.
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