India is the ‘Preferred Security Partner’ in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and this pointed its ability to play an effective strategic role in the region and need to expand its operational reach, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar said on Tuesday as the Navy formally commissioned its second squadron of P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft, ‘Condors’, at INS Hansa in Goa.
The Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 316, will operate four P-8I aircraft procured as part of the optional clause in 2016 in a deal worth over $1 bn, deliveries of which were completed recently by Boeing. The Defence Ministry has already approved a proposal for procurement of six more P-8Is but that is now under review as part of an overall review of all imports.
“In today’s dynamic and complex security situation, the squadron’s operational capabilities will significantly enhance our ability to protect, preserve and promote India’s maritime interests,” Admiral Kumar said at the commissioning ceremony. “The rapidity and flexibility with which the P-8Is have responded to various contingencies in the region reflect our resolve to be the ‘First Responder’ and the ‘Preferred Security Partner’ in the region, guided by India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy,” he noted.
The squadron has been named ‘Condors’, one of the largest flying land birds with a massive wingspan. The insignia of the squadron depicts a ‘Condor’ searching over the vast blue expanse of the sea. “’Condors’ are known for excellent sensory capabilities, powerful and sharp talons and large massive wings symbolising the capabilities of the aircraft and envisaged roles of the squadron,” the Navy said in a statement.
A potent platform
“The ‘Game Changer’ aircraft is a potent platform for maritime surveillance and strike, electronic warfare missions, search and rescue, providing targeting data to weapon platforms, time-critical surveillance information to the Army and the Air Force. It was also the platform of choice for detecting and neutralising enemy ships and submarines in the IOR,” the Navy stated.
The Navy had procured eight P-8Is under a $2.2 billion deal in 2009. The aircraft are a part of the 312A Naval Air Squadron based at Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu.
The case for six more P-8Is was being reviewed by the Defence Ministry, sources said and added that the Navy had made a strong case for these aircraft to keep an eye on movements in the IOR. The Navy had done a rationalisation and cut down numbers and also released an unmanned roadmap to bring in greater efficiency, a defence official remarked.
Big ticket procurements
The Defence Ministry is reconsidering several big ticket procurements as part of the review, and several of them could be dropped, including utility helicopters and missiles among others, officials had stated.
At the ceremony, Admiral Kumar highlighted that since their induction, the P-8Is have demonstrated their ability to be force multipliers across a wide spectrum of missions and in “establishing operational footprint across the IOR.”
They had been deployed for extensive search and rescue operations in the aftermath of Cyclone ‘Tauktae’, and rendered Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) assistance post-cyclone ‘Hudhud’. The aircraft were also deployed for support to friendly foreign countries during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the government’s ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative and participated with distinction in numerous multinational exercises, the Navy Chief asserted.
In November 2019, the Defence Acquisition Council approved the procurement of the six aircraft and in May 2021, the U.S. State Department approved the possible sale of six additional P-8I aircraft and related equipment, a deal estimated to cost $2.42 billion. The number was cut down from 10 to six aircraft due to budgetary constraints, as also the Navy undertaking fleet rationalisation and deciding to go for long endurance unmanned platforms.
Agreement with U.S.
The six aircraft under discussion will come with extensive upgrades, officials had stated. As reported by The Hindu earlier, the six P-8Is will come installed with encrypted communication systems since India has now signed the foundational agreement Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) with the U.S.
INAS 316 is commanded by Commander Amit Mohapatra, an accomplished P-8I pilot with extensive operational experience. He has also flown maritime air platforms such as IL-38 and Dornier 228 and also Commanded INS Baratang as well as served as the Executive Officer of INS Tarkash, according to the statement.
