‘Need to know China’s intent in Indian Ocean’

On a two-month international deployment, ships from the Indian Navy’s Vishakhapatnam-based Eastern Naval Command, recently held manoeuvers with the Chinese PLA Navy off the Chinese coast.

Beijing is said to have invested in ports along the coast of Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

On his four-day visit to India Admiral Mullen spoke about the ‘thousand-ship Navy’ concept, the idea for which was mooted 18 months ago, for a concerted effort towards meeting the challenges of maritime security.

Explaining the concept, Mullen called it a brand which was not bound by rules or a treaty and had no UN governance, would have commitment from willing sea-faring partners to combat drug trafficking, piracy, terrorism and natural disasters like the tsunami and Katrina, besides maintaining maritime security.

“I’ve had discussions with the Chiefs of the Russian and the Chinese navies and they have shown positive signs towards participating and contributing in the concept,” added Mullen.

Terming global terrorism as an asymmetrical threat, Mullen explained that it was a matter of concern but wasn’t possible for any one country to combat it alone.

Admiral Mullen who held talks with the Indian naval brass today said that the Indian Navy too had shown interest and inclination towards the concept. He would also meet Defence Minister A K Antony, Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt, and other service chiefs.