Is Indian Navy a Bluewater navy?

Hello aspirants,

This post will be new for many aspirants and is very essential for all the aspirants to know about this topic from SSB point of view. Read till the end to find out if the Indian navy is part of the blue water navy or not. It will be explained in a short and precise manner for easy understanding of reader. So, let's begin

What is the blue water navy?

• There are many definitions but the most suitable one is given The Defense Security Service of the United States "a maritime force capable of sustained operation across the deep waters of open oceans. A blue-water navy allows a country to project power far from the home country and usually includes one or more aircraft carriers. Smaller blue-water navies are able to dispatch fewer vessels abroad for shorter periods.
• It can be explained merely as a maritime force capable of operating globally, mainly across the deep waters of open oceans.

How does a nation become a part of this?

• A blue-water navy implies force protection from sub-surface, surface and airborne threats and a sustainable logistic reach, allowing a persistent presence at the range.
• A hallmark of a true blue-water navy is the ability to conduct a replenishment at sea (RAS), i.e. transfer of fuel and ammunition underwater and the commissioning of underway replenishment ships is a definite sign of a navy's blue-water ambitions.
• These are some of the attributes to be maintained by the country to be called as a blue water navy.

Classification and designations

• Global-reach power projection- when a country has the capability to sustained power projection missions globally then they get this designation like the USA.
• Limited global-reach power projection- the country must have At least one primary power projection operation globally like France and U.K
• Multi-regional power projection- Power projection to regions adjacent its own like India, Italy
• Regional power projection- Limited range power projection beyond exclusive economic zone (EEZ) like China, Japan

Is the Indian Navy blue water navy?

• Indian Navy has the designation of  "leading power projection capability" in the region"  and is, therefore, a blue water navy.
• India initially outlined its intentions of developing blue-water capabilities under the 2007 Maritime Capabilities Perspective Plan, with the navy's priority being the projection of "power in India’s area of strategic interest", the Indian Ocean Region.
• Since 2007 the navy has increased its presence in the Persian Gulf and the Horn of Africa to the Strait of Malacca, and routinely conducts anti-piracy operations and partnership building with other navies in the region.
• It also conducts routine two to three-month-long deployments in the South and East China seas as well as the western Mediterranean simultaneously. The navy has a listening post in Madagascar.
• All these power projection capabilities make Indian navy a blue water navy.

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