India has raised distress over maritime security. It has also called for rule-based order in the Indo-pacific region. Additionally, India has raised the issue of freedom of navigation in the South China sea.
The area from which maritime operations and ships need protection includes robbery, piracy, terrorism, illegal fishing, illegal trafficking of people and goods, pollution, etc. The marine industry supervises, inspects, and takes necessary steps to minimize threats.
The center of the entire India’s Security Challenges lies in China’s regressive turnout in the critical sea lanes in the south China sea.
India’s security challenges: -
Trespassing
Unauthorized personnel come aboard without concern and meddle with sensitive equipment.
Thievery
Valuable resources and goods get stolen at the port or at the ship.
India’s Maritime Challenges
India’s Maritime Challenges are complex and are quite different from those on lands.
Modern technology is also causing the maritime challenges to transfigure even further both in respect of their ‘traditional’ and ‘non-traditional’ categories.
The traditional technology trends point at: -
Stealth
greater automatization,
irregular warfare
cyber weapons
deception weapons and platforms
space control
long-range precision weapons
The mutating non-traditional security challenges point at: -
uncontrolled urbanization of coastal areas
impact of natural disasters and pandemics
disruptive nature of climate change
a growing number of failed states
India’s connectivity
India’s rising trade calls for stronger maritime connectivity. The trade by the ocean is growing steadily in terms of volume and value. India’s Connectivity with other nations such as ASEAN is growing rapidly.
The sea channel is vital for the world’s shipping movements. As this connects the growing regions of Africa and South Asia to the economies of the east. Therefore, maritime security is significant as the sea channel is a major way for the imports and exports of the country.