20 theSun
INTERVIEWS VIEWS
Hindustania
set to rule
the waves
by Eric S. Margolis
THE question of what to do
about the epidemic of Somali
piracy is becoming a major
international security issue as
ships fear to ply the waters off
the Horn of Africa and Arabian
Sea and insurance rates soar.
This year alone, brazen
Somalia pirates have attacked 95 evolution of China’s fleet from a
vessels. They still hold 16 ships
and some 300 sailors hostage.
Among them, a Ukrainian
freighter loaded with T-72 tanks
whose ultimate destination
remains a mystery, and now a
Saudi supertanker, the Sirius
Star, laden with 2 million
barrels of oil valued at US$110
million (RM398 million). The
pirates demand US$25 million
(RM90.5 million) ransom for the
vessel and its Filipino crew.
Western powers have
increased naval patrols off
the Horn of Africa. But the
piracy epidemic underlines the
urgent need to bring stability
to anarchic Somalia, where
millions face famine. In fact,
according to some UN experts,
starvation, disease and violence
in Somalia is even worse and
more widespread than in
Darfur.
Somalia’s last government,
a moderate
Islamist
movement
An Indian frigate,
called the stole the limelight by
Islamic Courts sinking a Somali pirate mother heavy,
Union, had ship off the coast of Oman.
managed Tabar had previously
to restore a
semblance other Somali buccaneers.
of order.
But it was overthrown in 2006
by the US and regional ally
Ethiopia. Since then, chaos has
ruled what is left of Somalia.
An Ethiopian-installed puppet
government has no power.
One of the more interesting
aspects of the pirate drama
involves India. An Indian frigate, warheads around the globe.
INS Tabar, stole the limelight by
sinking a Somali pirate mother
ship off the coast of Oman.
Tabar had previously driven off
other Somali buccaneers.
I first saw Tabar, a Russian
Krivak-III missile frigate, under
construction at St Petersberg’s
Baltisiskya Zavod yards. This
elegant warship carries the new
Russian/Indian BrahMos, the
world’s deadliest supersonic
anti-ship missile, and the Israeli
Barak missile system.
Tabar was on station in the
Gulf of Aden protecting Indian
and international commerce.
Her presence is the latest sign
of India’s growing maritime
power, a subject about which
I have been writing for two
decades. India is now making
her maritime strength felt right
to the mouth of the Red Sea and
up to the oil exporting Gulf,
along Africa’s east coast, and
all the way south to Fiji and
Australian waters.
Many Indian strategists
regard the vast Indian Ocean as
| THURSDAY NOVEMBER 27 2008
their nation’s exclusive sphere
of influence. India’s steady naval
expansion is designed to protect
its commerce and long coasts,
and exert Delhi’s growing
influence around the Gulf and
Southeast Asia’s strategic Strait
of Malacca, which used to suffer
from pirate attacks. India’s navy
also keeps a weather eye on the
coastal defence force into a true
blue water navy. Just last week,
a senior Chinese official caused
a stir in Washington by hinting
his nation was planning to build
its first aircraft carrier (the US
has eleven).
India’s fleet includes an
aircraft carrier; a former ex-
Soviet carrier on order; at least
16 modern submarines, plus a
series of nuclear-powered subs
being built; 48 surface warships;
a powerful naval air arm, and
advanced reconnaissance
satellites.
India’s growing navy may
one day challenge the Indian
Ocean’s premier naval power,
the United States, which regards
the Gulf oil routes and Arabian
Sea as its own pond. India’s
acquisition of Russian Akula
class nuclear-powered subs
that do 40 knots submerged; the
deadly BrahMos missiles (ideal
for sinking
carriers);
INS Tabar, and the
Russian
TU-160
driven off long-range
bomber
have the US
Navy warily
watching.
In another important event
barely noticed in the West,
on Nov 14, an Indian space
probe hit the moon. If India can
deliver a probe to the moon, the
same launchers and guidance
systems can deliver nuclear
India is testing a new 5,500km
medium-range ballistic missile,
Surya, which will be upgraded
into a true inter-continental
ballistic missile with double
the range. India is deploying a
submarine-launched, nuclear
armed ballistic missile.
India is also emplacing new
Agni-II intermediate missiles
along the Tibet border, in
response, says, Delhi to more
than 100 Chinese nuclear-
armed missiles on the Tibetan
plateau targeted at India.
The lesson to be drawn from
all this is that India must be a
force to be reckoned with in
the Indian Ocean and Gulf as it
advances its own oil, trade and
political interests. Hindustania
does not yet rule the waves, but
one day, who knows.
Eric S. Margolis is a contributing
editor to the Toronto Sun chain
of newspapers, writing mainly
about the Middle East and
South Asia. Comments: letters@
thesundaily.com.