Why doesn't India develop a Marine Corps?

acetophenol

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We don't have such dedicated capability, no doubt. However,if such a need arises, I believe our Navy and Army can together pull it off I believe.

After all, we have a not-so-bad collection of dock landing ships




 

harikrishnan

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India's interests lie in several offshore destinations. We have many strategic assets like our energy sources, our diplomatic stations abroad, our naval missions as well as our allies overseas (Singapore, Thailand) etc. We have currently no real way of protecting them, or responding to a threat in real time.

India should have a naval strike force with special infantry training. Probably a corps level force with 2-3 divisions, having it's own light artillery, light armor, helicopter gunships and transport vehicles (naval, air and land).

These are my opinion, I would like to hear what others think.
Infact India is not a country who interrupt in other countries matters which is not harmful to India after a limit unlike America and India is having border issues with Pakistan and china so we are more bothered about our borders hence we concentrate on borders forces like BSF ITBP etc
we are having home enemies like maoist and other terrorist organisation as well and India CRPFI is doing well against them.hence we need these forces rather than Marines.still we have Marcos of Indian navy
 

Ray

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What is the requirement for a Marine Corps.

We have regular army earmarked as an amphibious force to counter its current threats. India has no desire so far for any expeditionary forays.

Empire building is not the answer. More the various organisations, the less is the coordination and synergetic approach.

Too many organisation goes against the philosophy of Jointmanship.
 

blueblood

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What is the requirement for a Marine Corps.

We have regular army earmarked as an amphibious force to counter its current threats. India has no desire so far for any expeditionary forays.

Empire building is not the answer. More the various organisations, the less is the coordination and synergetic approach.

Too many organisation goes against the philosophy of Jointmanship.
Sir, battalions of amphibious brigades of IA are on rotation, which essentially means lack of specialization in training and equipment. While I am not in favour of a corps sized formation some members are advocating which in my opinion is a futile idea.

I am however partial to creating a dedicated force of 2-3 brigades or at most a division sized independent force within the army for amphibious operations.

This force should be treated as a separate arm under IA instead of treating as just another brigade or division, for example. Raising such a force IMO should not be as expensive as your "normal" one since the logistics will be shared with the navy.
 

Rowdy

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Because Indians are vegetarians
 

Otm Shank2

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The idea of associating a marines unit with empire building is silly. it's like saying a rifle is only for offense when we know Indians have always been defenders of bharat mata NOT conquerors.

saying india havent had to intervene or not had the need to is being historically ignorant... even modern times.. india has had to intervened in bangla (a war for freedom and dignity), maldives(coup prevention), lanka (ipkf).


I think there is a great need for a marine force in the Indian armed forces. If we look at the situation geopolitically india is blockaded over land by china , pakiland and to an impetuous way banglaland. India/Modi has been courting many countries in the near abroad and setting up naval stations which need specialized 'muscle' to protect from the iranian one to new stations in Seychelles? and off Mauritius? . The invaluable asset of nicobar alone merits a raising of a marine force.

If god forbid there was a long convential war in Asia or the eastern hemisphere then island hopping and breaching coastal cities will play a huge part in winning the war which a marines will be important.

and outside of war a protection for evacuation like in yemen or anti piracy in the east indian ocean or disater relief assistance like the horrible tsunami marines would be invaluable.
 

jouni

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Maybe you can buy Mistrals from France as a backbone of your new Marine corps. Why not also form Arctic Brigades while your at it? To protect your interests in the Arctic...or space force?

I like your attitude, you are never short of new ideas.
 

blueblood

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Maybe you can buy Mistrals from France as a backbone of your new Marine corps. Why not also form Arctic Brigades while your at it? To protect your interests in the Arctic...or space force?

I like your attitude, you are never short of new ideas.
While we are quite possibly buying Mistrals we know deep in our heart that we will never be as great as the blonde haired, blue eyed, sea fairing Finns.

A nation with over 1200 islands don't need a marine force. That my friend is gem of an advice.

I would also like your opinion (which is incredibly important) on whether we should have a navy or just some paddle boats with sniper rifles will be enough for protecting 7500 km of coastline.
 

Bhadra

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India's interests lie in several offshore destinations. We have many strategic assets like our energy sources, our diplomatic stations abroad, our naval missions as well as our allies overseas (Singapore, Thailand) etc. We have currently no real way of protecting them, or responding to a threat in real time.

India should have a naval strike force with special infantry training. Probably a corps level force with 2-3 divisions, having it's own light artillery, light armor, helicopter gunships and transport vehicles (naval, air and land).

These are my opinion, I would like to hear what others think.
My son is very hungry and thirsty and I have only one hundred Rs with me. I give him the note to look after himself for a day. Now what all can he buy with those hundred Rs. Two meals ? Some Water? Can he afford to buy a quarter of Whisky? A packet of Classic cigarettes? Some beer ? some chicken?

OK another example : There are two tigers roaring outside my house and my life is in danger, my house is under threat. However, my son is insisting on taking out the snake out of our swimming pool located one mile away and wants to go there. He says that it is important to deal with the snake rather than tackle two tigers. What should the father and son do and how should they tackle the threats?
 

jouni

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You should have Marines. Also small force can be efficient if you have the right stuff.

 

Zebra

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My son is very hungry and thirsty and I have only one hundred Rs with me. I give him the note to look after himself for a day. Now what all can he buy with those hundred Rs. Two meals ? Some Water? Can he afford to buy a quarter of Whisky? A packet of Classic cigarettes? Some beer ? some chicken?

OK another example : There are two tigers roaring outside my house and my life is in danger, my house is under threat. However, my son is insisting on taking out the snake out of our swimming pool located one mile away and wants to go there. He says that it is important to deal with the snake rather than tackle two tigers. What should the father and son do and how should they tackle the threats?
Take out the salaries of defence personnel from Defence budget.

Now you know.....how you can make your son happy.
 

Bhadra

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Take out the salaries of defence personnel from Defence budget.

Now you know.....how you can make your son happy.
The tigers will eat you up ... and that will be end of the story ...
 

Zebra

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The tigers will eat you up ... and that will be end of the story ...
Sir, if you want to go to heaven, then you must die first. And no one can help you, if you scare.
 

Bhadra

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India's interests lie in several offshore destinations.
Such as ? Please list out.
What will be needed to protect such interests militarily?
Nature of threat to such interests particularly military threats ? Remember what happened in Maldives ??
Time, distance and types of forces, Force Levels required to defeat such threats ?. Means you would not require a division to capture a Pakistani boat. And if Karachi is required to be captured by a division I might send them through Gujrat rather than more dangerious sea.

We have many strategic assets like our energy sources, our diplomatic stations abroad, our naval missions
Repeat the above questions in this context and provide answers there to . Is Navy the only answer to respond militarily to such contingencies or air assets also be required. Should those air assets belong to Airforce or Navy?

as well as our allies overseas (Singapore, Thailand) etc. We have currently no real way of protecting them, or responding to a threat in real time.
Again the same questions ? Who in your view can or is going to attack Thailand ? And what would be force level of attacker employed ? Will the attack be from sea or land or by air ? And why would India require separate Marine Corps for that ?

India should have a naval strike force with special infantry training.
What is that special military training?
In what time frame that training can be imparted ?
Will Indian Army's Infantry trained and put on a ship with support elements suffice?


Probably a corps level force with 2-3 divisions, having it's own light artillery, light armor, helicopter gunships and transport vehicles (naval, air and land).
You mean a force of 40,000 ? you say two divisions !!
How many ships would be required to carry this force?
How many support ships, aircraft careers and submarines, antisubmarine resources would be required to protect this force ?
How many aircrafts would be required to protect this force
What will this Corps size force do if China attacks our Northern borders? Sit in Vishkhapattanam ?
Ok -- I send them to Himalayas but mean while China also attacks Thailand ? Now what ?

These are my opinion, I would like to hear what others think.
try and answer these questions and you may get some answer yourself.[/quote]
 

Ray

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The idea of associating a marines unit with empire building is silly. it's like saying a rifle is only for offense when we know Indians have always been defenders of bharat mata NOT conquerors.

saying india havent had to intervene or not had the need to is being historically ignorant... even modern times.. india has had to intervened in bangla (a war for freedom and dignity), maldives(coup prevention), lanka (ipkf).


I think there is a great need for a marine force in the Indian armed forces. If we look at the situation geopolitically india is blockaded over land by china , pakiland and to an impetuous way banglaland. India/Modi has been courting many countries in the near abroad and setting up naval stations which need specialized 'muscle' to protect from the iranian one to new stations in Seychelles? and off Mauritius? . The invaluable asset of nicobar alone merits a raising of a marine force.

If god forbid there was a long convential war in Asia or the eastern hemisphere then island hopping and breaching coastal cities will play a huge part in winning the war which a marines will be important.

and outside of war a protection for evacuation like in yemen or anti piracy in the east indian ocean or disater relief assistance like the horrible tsunami marines would be invaluable.
I wonder if you understand the connotation of the words 'empire building' in context of structural accretions.

Or what is Jointmanship.

India actually did not 'intervene' in any nation, it went to assist, on invitation. 'Intervening' in geopolitical terms is when a nation, uninvited acts unilaterally to solve a dispute.

In so far as Yemen is concerned, it was an evacuation and not an invasion. How would marines in anyway be a 'force multiplier'? If the invade and made a sanitised beachhead, it would termed as a military act/ invasion impinging on the sovereignty of Yemen. Hardly an action that would be lauded as a great action by the international community. It would upset Yemen, as also the Houthi, and hence Iran. I am not to sure if India would like to lose either Yemen and hence Saudi Arabia or Iran from being India's friend.

Anti piracy? What would a Marine Force achieve? Where will it land? Anti piracy actions are all at sea and the pirates are blown out of the sea.

India has set up no naval stations anywhere beyond India. The only 'external' presence I am aware of is the 'Listening Post' in Oman.

In Andaman and Nicobar, if a Marine Force is raised, what is it to achieve? Marines are basically an expeditionary outfit and not meant for defence. Just because there is water, does not mean it warrant a Marine Force. There are dual tasked formations that can do the task.

It is grandiose a preconception that there will be long conventional war in Asia or the eastern hemisphere and then island hopping and breaching coastal cities will be necessitated. When India has not even the adequate ammunition to fight for 40 days, it would hardly be in a position to island hop. And coastal cities? UO or MOUT is the most difficult ops and has hardly any great record of success.

Disaster Relief requires no Marines. All it requires is personnel being moved by ship and landed at ports or landing area to move inland and do the relief.
 

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