Though India has decided to reduce the size of its military by cutting down the size of its troops by one lakh, it has become imperative for India to strengthen its missile power, fighter planes, ships and submarines. It is so because once in war India needs sophisticated weapons and machines because future wars are not going to be played with man power but with machines. It is in this connection that India has decided to equip its Navy with new ships and submarines. With Chinese warships regularly patrolling the Indian Ocean, the government has approved an expansion and upgrade plan for the Navy with 56 new ships and submarines. Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, has said "The government has given approval to having 56 ships and submarines. Some of these will replace the existing fleet and include new ships like fleet ships, submarines and mine sweepers."
He said the construction plan would be spread across a decade. This is in addition to the 32 ships and submarines under construction, as of now. Navy Day is observed on December 4 to mark the famous ship-launched attack on Karachi during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Admiral Lanba said the attention of the entire world is focused on Indian Ocean region. We are the net security provider. We are committed to keeping the area clean of all traditional and non-traditional threats in the Indian Ocean. This way India has to upgrade machinery, weapons and war weapons for its Armed forces, comprising the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. Already the upgradation in the Air Force has begun with series of announcements for multi-role fighter plan, Rafale, from France and the missile defence system, from Russia.
India has had to remain alive and active and intensify patrolling in the air, on the land and in the Ocean because two main enemies, China and Pakistan, have access to Indian seas and oceans. The heads of the Army, Air Force and the Navy have to put heads together to ensure upgradation of its war weapons, long range guns, tanks fighter planes and ammunition. Thanks to the ongoing Pakistan sponsored insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir which has helped India to develop highly sophisticated war machinery. Not that India wishes to go in war against either Pakistan or China but on the basis of the attitude of Beijing and Islamabad war could be thrust on India and hence the Indian Armed forces have to initiate modernization of its war machinery. India is a peace loving country and despite the fact that Pakistani Army have been creating added problems for India still India has not launched an attack on Pakistan. |
