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The southern tip of India is just as good a launch location as this island.
Mauritius offers India 2 islands in effort to preserve tax treaty
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Even the Island would have to run a few Diesel generators and their would be all sort of supply issues and logistics.Provided the aircraft carrier is seaworthy and not in the dry dock for overhaui.
Islands do not require overhaul and is always ready.
A few generators?
What i am saying is we already have carriers which we can base of anywhere in IO region.
Ships do not requires any massive overhaul that to new ones like Vikramaditya or the IAC. Either way all we need is a listening post and a dock if required.
Bhadra
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yea, that why the word used is "huge" and "such Inslands" and not this or that Island !
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I rather like the idea of prepared island infrastructure to expensive carriers. It is far cheaper to have a landing strip that can be quickly converted to an operational airbase than keeping a carrier strike group. Australia has taken this concept to its sparsely populated territories. France augments the CdG with forward basing, although our bases are a bit more permanent than theirs.
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I am sure you will recall that during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965, Pakistan reported that it had sunk the Vikrant. However, at the time the ship was in dry dock undergoing modifications. So, it was not there when the chips were down.
India requires a minimum of Three aircraft carriers. One for the Western Fleet, one for the Eastern Fleet and one in reserve so that if in the dry dock for refit or other reasons, both the Indian flanks continure to be duly protected and offensive oriented.
What is an island? It is a static aircraft carrier.
It is also a listening post and a sentinel.
To neutralise it, the enemy will have to use its combat resources. This will deplete the resources being applied at the area of criticality, where should be the enemy's offensive's centre of gravity.
For sea control, you require 'outposts' so that the battle is kept away from the mainland and when the battle reaches the mainland the combat potential of the enemy is depleted.
I am sure you have read that India has commissioned INS Baaz in the Campbell Bay.
Whatever for you may well ask, when we already have INS Jarawa in the Andamans!
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GK,
May read this non military article
http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/indian-navy/38835-hawk-eye-malacca-strait.html#post532108
Islands anywhere is what is known as 'increasing the strategic reach'.
May read this non military article
http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/indian-navy/38835-hawk-eye-malacca-strait.html#post532108
Islands anywhere is what is known as 'increasing the strategic reach'.
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Thanks for this link.I read that article and its very impressive.
thakur_ritesh
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These 2 islands are of a great significance and interest to India, but it seems there is something substantial that we are looking to negotiate than just the 2 islands. The whole taxation treaty is a little over blown from India's PoV, though that is being used as a bargaining chip by the Indian side, and the Mauritians do understand it, so they should come up with a better deal.
India has developed a strong presence in the region (west Asia/Africa) economically and militarily, and it is extremely important that we have a permanent naval base in this region which today accounts for 25% (200[+]b usd) of the total trade we do. One has to just look at the exponential growth of trade between India and Africa which has grown from a billion dollars in 2001 to 62b usd in '11 and the target is to make it 90b usd by '15, and India sees Africa as a long term investment destination, and geography and history are on our side here.
This region, the arc, starting from Africa to SEA is of great strategic value to India and as we grow, we do see it as an extension of our legitimate interests. What we have done in the SEA is remarkable and even more so because we have achieved it without much fanfare or eyebrows raised, mind you the game we were playing there wasn't so much about the SCS though it did seem to be so, similarly the huge push to Indian interests in WA and Africa is no less an achievement especially when at one point of time it seemed to be a Chinese onslaught, but it has been corrected to a large extent.
There should be no doubt in the fact that India has ambitions of being the big player and play the bigger games, but all that comes later, for now the immediate concern is to take care of the country's interests and if it means going beyond the borders, we have just started doing that, and the good thing, all this is happening without raising any alarms.
India has developed a strong presence in the region (west Asia/Africa) economically and militarily, and it is extremely important that we have a permanent naval base in this region which today accounts for 25% (200[+]b usd) of the total trade we do. One has to just look at the exponential growth of trade between India and Africa which has grown from a billion dollars in 2001 to 62b usd in '11 and the target is to make it 90b usd by '15, and India sees Africa as a long term investment destination, and geography and history are on our side here.
This region, the arc, starting from Africa to SEA is of great strategic value to India and as we grow, we do see it as an extension of our legitimate interests. What we have done in the SEA is remarkable and even more so because we have achieved it without much fanfare or eyebrows raised, mind you the game we were playing there wasn't so much about the SCS though it did seem to be so, similarly the huge push to Indian interests in WA and Africa is no less an achievement especially when at one point of time it seemed to be a Chinese onslaught, but it has been corrected to a large extent.
There should be no doubt in the fact that India has ambitions of being the big player and play the bigger games, but all that comes later, for now the immediate concern is to take care of the country's interests and if it means going beyond the borders, we have just started doing that, and the good thing, all this is happening without raising any alarms.
skumar7777
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The Mauritian High Commission released a press statement on 06-July denying such an offer was made but let us hypothetically assume that the offer was actually made and then denied keeping in view sensibilities in Mauritius, the unnecessary public reaction in India and more importantly reactions in rest of the world (US, China etc).
I am not particularly qualified to comment on strategic issues but here is my view point.
The Agalega islands offered lie about 2500 kms to the south west of mainland India and about 1000 kms to the north of the main Mauritius islands. We can look at advantages it bestows on us from two perspectives - one economic and the other strategic.
Let us look at the economic perspective first. It provides us an additional EEZ of approx 431,000 sq kms, which includes fishing rights and full and exclusive sovereign rights in respect of continental shelf. If you take fishing rights, then it is really too far away to be economically viable. In fact, if it were feasible, companies in India can import fish from Mauritius directly at a small premium. If you take rights in respect of continental shelf, we can surmise that the region does not have any potential in terms of petroleum or gas since Mauritius would not be stupid enough to give it to us otherwise.
If you look at it from a strategic perspective,
- The EEZ also requires warships and submarines to obtain permission before transiting EEZ but such claims have been disputed by the US already and India would find it hard to force the issue.
- India can establish a base on those islands but the logistics would be horrendous since it is 2500 kms away. It would be an enormous recurring cost to maintain an effective base. If the objective is to defend the mainland, then the question must be asked - from whom? from the American presence on Diego Garcia which is about 1500 kms to the east (and more than 500 kms closer to the Indian mainland than thes islands)? Or from Chinese theat from the south / south east in which case Andaman and Nicobar should be more suitable. In any case, Male, the capital of Maldives, would be an better option for us from a practical perspective.
An Indian base on the Agalega islands at cost to the Indian exchequer (and the Indian people ultimately) would suit the US more than us since we would be expected to perform the role of havaldar on the seas there under the US Director General.
I am not particularly qualified to comment on strategic issues but here is my view point.
The Agalega islands offered lie about 2500 kms to the south west of mainland India and about 1000 kms to the north of the main Mauritius islands. We can look at advantages it bestows on us from two perspectives - one economic and the other strategic.
Let us look at the economic perspective first. It provides us an additional EEZ of approx 431,000 sq kms, which includes fishing rights and full and exclusive sovereign rights in respect of continental shelf. If you take fishing rights, then it is really too far away to be economically viable. In fact, if it were feasible, companies in India can import fish from Mauritius directly at a small premium. If you take rights in respect of continental shelf, we can surmise that the region does not have any potential in terms of petroleum or gas since Mauritius would not be stupid enough to give it to us otherwise.
If you look at it from a strategic perspective,
- The EEZ also requires warships and submarines to obtain permission before transiting EEZ but such claims have been disputed by the US already and India would find it hard to force the issue.
- India can establish a base on those islands but the logistics would be horrendous since it is 2500 kms away. It would be an enormous recurring cost to maintain an effective base. If the objective is to defend the mainland, then the question must be asked - from whom? from the American presence on Diego Garcia which is about 1500 kms to the east (and more than 500 kms closer to the Indian mainland than thes islands)? Or from Chinese theat from the south / south east in which case Andaman and Nicobar should be more suitable. In any case, Male, the capital of Maldives, would be an better option for us from a practical perspective.
An Indian base on the Agalega islands at cost to the Indian exchequer (and the Indian people ultimately) would suit the US more than us since we would be expected to perform the role of havaldar on the seas there under the US Director General.
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France needs a base to watch the Straits of Malacca. You think India would cohabitate Car Nicobar with a squadron of Rafale?
trackwhack
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That would depend on what France is willing to concede is its overseas territories. Either way, I think given time, UK and France will have to sell off such assets just to make ends meet, in 2 - 3 decades from now.
Give us Crozet. While we give you the basing rights in Nicobar.
Very Good to Lay our Claim on Antartica. I think you have enough territories wouldn't make a difference.
LETHALFORCE
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Only if the french give something in return in the english channel where we can park a couple of navy vessels.
The whining of the brits and screams of the word "aid" in dailymail alone would be worth it.
Bhadra
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My God ! Bases on Indian soil ! What could be French interests in Mallaca straits ?
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France has bases near all sea transit routes except the Straits of Mallaca. It will complete the coverage.
Too far away...LETHALFORCE said:
Bhadra
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Then France must give India bases in Europe, as India has no bases there ! Quid pro quo.
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Re: Mauritius could hand over 2 islands to India
Dude, this is in exchange for all our money that goes out through black channels and re-enters India as foreign "investment". What will we do with 2 tropical islands in exchange for billions of our money going out to tax havens like Mauritius.
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Re: Mauritius could hand over 2 islands to India
our money is returning as foreign investment but is returning...i say grab the islands. at worst we would have purchased the island and at best we'd get them for free.
trackwhack
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Re: Mauritius could hand over 2 islands to India
The islands are a negotiating asset for them. It wont be a direct swap in the end. Whatever deal is arrived at, the islands should be a part of the package. Its worth it. Just look at the location. By 2050, we will be the single largest investor in Africa. There will be a lot of assets to protect.
