Round The World

New Delhi, 29 October 2021

India-UK Defence Ties

BOOSTING INDIA-PACIFIC SECURITY

By Dr D.K. Giri

(Prof. International Relations, JIMMC)

British Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss’ visit to Delhi last week has lifted the prospect of India-Pacific security vis-à-vis China. The deliberations and agreements between India and the UK in the wake of the visit has repaired the damage, albeit, perceptionally the dilution of Quad after the formation of AUKUS. Britain has consciously worked on deepening the India-UK ties in maritime security in India-Pacific region.

The above inference is confirmed by the UK Foreign Secretary who sees their growing security and defence partnership with India as a key part of the UK’s Indo-Pacific tilt. The Foreign Secretary also sees India as critical to ensuring a free, open, inclusive and a prosperous India-Pacific region. A release from the British High Commission confirmed that Trussis expected to continue the dialogue on developing innovative security and defence technology with Indian government.

The effusive comments made by First Sea Lord Admiral and Chief of Naval Staff of the UK Admiral Tony Radakin, sum up the optimism around India-US defence cooperation, “The CSGs’ (the Career Strike Group of UK) engagement with India showcases the deepening comprehensive strategic partnership. Both the Indian and Royal Navy are blue water, multi-career navies, which places us in a very exclusive club.” Highlighting the political significance of such cooperation, he added, “Our growing interactions are a testimony to the shared commitment to a rule-based international system, a belief in the values of open trade, and in the importance of the freedom of the high seas – a right conveyed on all nations.”

Complementing the UK perception, Vivek Madhwal, Indian Navy’s Spokesperson Commander said, “The sea phase of the maiden try service exercise commencing of the Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea completes our exhaustive harbour phase.”  The British High Commission in New Delhi in its press release termed this latest exercise as the most ambitious till date. It said, “Personnel of all three services from both countries were participating in the tri-service exercise.”

From the agreements, exercises and the official utterances from both sides testify the fact that the exercise recently conducted is one step more in deepening bilateral defence and security ties boosting strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. As the democracies of the world unite to counter the authoritarian autocracies like China such exercise provides an opportunity for the armed forces of two democracies, one, the oldest and the other, the biggest to work in unity and uphold the shared commitments to peace and security.

To note the complex military drills undertaken by India and the UK, the UK’s CSG made by its largest warship HMS Queen Elizabeth along with other frontline ships of the two navies participated in a week-long Konkan Shakti exercise beginning from October 21. Second, career battle group is a mega naval fleet, comprising an aircraft career, a large number of destroyers, frigates and other ships. It should also be noted that the UK is only the third country with which India is conducting tri-service exercise. The first and second countries are US and Russia respectively.

Third, the Mig-29 K jets of Indian Navy and F-35B of Royal Navy and SU-30 and Jaguar fighters of Indian Air Force were also deployed in the exercises conducted in the tri-service war game in the Arabian Sea. This exercise as said before was considered the most ambitious exercise so far conducted by India and the UK. It has been indicated that UK is contemplating a long term presence in the region.

To have a flavour of the exercise on testing anti-submarine procedures, an Indian sub-marine would pretend to be the enemy and the Indian and the Royal Navy ships would try to find it. Similarly in air defence exercises, F-35s would attack the group consisting of Indian Air Force as a part of the mock drill. The forces will the side to increase the complexity of what is being practiced. 

As a part of a strategic plan, both India and UK are working together to conduct more military exercises and collaboration between their services. It was confirmed by Indian sources that both sides are seeking to deepen their defence and security relationships in the Indian Ocean region. It may be noted that the UK already maintains a base in Bahrain keeping close contact.

Assessing the political and security implications of this exercise conducted between 21-27 October 2021, it is said to strengthen military as well as cultural ties between both the countries with an intent to demonstrate that democracies that have similar use of the world could work together to keep peace and stability. That could be in South China Sea or the Indian Ocean of the Gulf of Aden of the North Sea, observed by Commodore Steve Moorhouse, the CSG Commander on Board HMS Queen Elizabeth.

As usual, the observers and the media came up with the obvious question that whether China will appreciate the joint exercise conducted by India and UK. Beijing might see it as a counterweight to its military power and presence in the India Pacific. The British version of the answer to such question is mainly the defence of the trade routes. Articulated by the Commodore, what is really important is the nations’ namely India, the United Kingdom and Japan and others in the region are maritime trading nations. They have been so for hundreds of years. These countries rely on free flow of trade, unhindered by others. He clearly expressed, “Free flow of trade is important to us. And I think if anybody tries to stymie that or stop that, the light-minded nations would like to come together and stand against it.”

After the exit of Britain from the European Union, the country is engaging more with its Commonwealth partners. India being the biggest is drawing greater attention than any, in many sectors. Also, as said earlier in this piece, Britain could be making up for the trust deficit created in the formation of AUKUS. The British opinion also is that, “Specifically with India there is a whole comprehensive and strategic partnership that two Prime Ministers have signed and envisioned out a road map for 2030.” The recent exercise is one part of it. There are other areas of partnership with India that Britain is looking to strengthen and take forward.

All in all, defence exercises are critical to ensuring security in the region. It would be better though if trade relations expand correspondingly. At the end of the day, it is the economic power, particularly for India that will stand the test of time and counter the onslaughts by the adversarial country. New Delhi can no longer down play the economic and trade relations and let them be overshadowed by defence and security imperatives. Indian foreign policy has been security driven, it is high time that it shifts to trade. The shift has been attempted unsuccessfully. Time to repair it. ---INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)