The Peninsular Theatre Must Be Formed In Earnest With Eye On Indian Ocean Region : Chief General Should Give A Look See
By
Colonel Awadhesh Kumar, Veteran
After all, the first of the Europeans had started their nefarious activities in India from the Southern Coast of Malabar ….the Portuguese in 1498.
By 1506 the mighty Zamorin of Calicut was totally defeated and the Malabaris treated brutally by a force of less than 15 Ships and just about 800 men because he did not have even cannons. The ruthless Portuguese set up their Capital in Goa by 1510. Soon the Dutch, the British and the French followed through the Sea route. Unlike the invaders through the Durand Line , these invaders did not go back or got amalgamated after the first of the lootings and killings . They enslaved India by 1747 and looted trillions, bringing down the GDP from 30%+ down to 3% by the time of their departure, two hundred years later . Untold miseries were heaped on the Indians in addition .
Finally it was only in 1961 when these Portuguese , the first to come , were the last to be booted out of India.
With growing movement of the Chinese Navy within the Indian Ocean Region, the neglected Southern Theatre of India needs to be strengthened so as not to repeat the mistakes made around 500 years back. Action is at hand but is being done very slowly and the pace needs to be surely expedited. It needs to be understood that Kochi requires more attention than Doklam.
The Chief of Defence Staff has taken over and now the time has come to set up integrated tri Services Theatres. Though this has to be done in a phased manner after careful study, It is imperative that a Peninsular Theatre Command or Southern Theatre Command be established in the first phase itself.
The Southern Theatre Command headed by a four star Admiral will comprise the following :
(a) Southern Naval Command already existing.
(b) South Eastern Naval Command to be created by removing NOIC Orissa and NOIC Bengal from existing Eastern Naval Command. A separate two star Flag Officer Bengal & Orissa to come up and to function under Naval HQ directly (to be placed under Eastern Theatre once it us raised).
(c) Southern Air Command as existing
(d) A new Peninsular Command comprising existing ATTK& K Area with a new Amphibious Division and an airborne brigade.
The IAF has already commenced strengthening its forgotten Southern Air Command. An indigenous Integrated Air Command And Control System( IACCS) made by Bharat Electronics now Covers The Deccan Peninsula. The node located at Bengaluru became functional few months back and has started exercising air defence control over the entire Indian peninsula.
This IACCS aims towards facilitating centralised command and control by automated integration of all air defence resources. This system enables faster decision making, while operating in an integrated environment both during peace and hostilities.
The Air Force Station (AFS) Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu is also getting upgraded to a full fledged base with 47 Wing for the resurrected 222 Squadron with its Sukhoi-30 MKI fighters.
This will be the second frontline fighter squadron of the Indian Air Force to be based in South India and will have the most potent platform capable of long reach and multi-role capabilities.
The move gives a major fillip to Indian Air Force strike power within the Indian Ocean region (IOR) and also provide full air cover to the Indian Navy.
The Air Force Base with 43 Wing at Sulur near Coimbatore is already home to No 45 Squadron Flying Daggers, operating the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.
Both these Wings need to be fully upgraded to protect various strategic and economic assets in the southern peninsula and sea lines of communication in the Indian Ocean region. Once enough fighter Squadrons are available then both 43 and 47 Wings will also need augmentation in squadron numbers.
Apart from the above, IAF will be required to develop a few more bases for the Southern Theatre Command. Existing Air Force Stations at Belgaum, Madurai and Thiruvanthanapuram also be upgraded to full Wing Status.
In addition new bases need to come up near Kozhikode, Tiruneveli, Kakinada and Vijaywada in the foreseeable future.
When the Chinese President had come to India in 2019 for talks, it was held in Mahabalipuram.
It was a deliberate choice as the place was symbolic of the great Cholas who had ruled the waves of the entire Hind Mahasagar and right into the Pacific for Centuries. Total peace had prevailed in the entire region where every one had traded peacefully including the Hans of China.
Since this Theatre will be Indian Ocean Centric to face off mainly with the future intrusion of the Chinese Navy, it needs no emphasis that the Navy has to be beefed up fully. Building a worthy Navy takes a lot of time apart from heavy expenditure.
The would be South Eastern Naval Command will be getting a brand new Air Craft Carrier by end 2021. However to form a Carrier Battle Group and have two flotillas, the Eastern Fleet will require additional four Destroyers, five Frigates and two Corvettes. Presently it has four Destroyers, three Frigates and around 10 corvettes.
Similarly a Submarine Flotilla with ideally 12 conventional Submarines with AIP, Six SSGNs and three SSBNs will be essential to nullify the Chinese threat. In this connection, Project VARSHA is moving ahead with full speed.
Kakinada and Chennai need to be developed as full operational bases. Kakinada will also be the ideal site for locating the tri Service Amphibious Training School.
The surveillance including anti submarine cover has already increased with the P8I Long Range Strategic Maritime Surveillance squadron which by this year will have full strength with 12 aircrafts. The Short Range Maritime Surveillance is also in place with the Dornier Squadron. What is now left in this area is the Medium Range Maritime Surveillance squadron. Along with the Maritime Aerial Surveillance, it is necessary to set up a HQ Coastal Surveillance and Missile Defence too at both Vizag and Kochi.
The Southern Naval Command which presently plays the role of a training Command too needs a build up. Initial build up should be by establishing required operating bases in Tuticorin and Mangalore and Malpe. The second Amphibious Squadron comprising 8x LCUs and a few LSTs may be located at Tuticorin along with the Mine Sweeper Squadron, once we start building them in Garden Reach and Goa respectively. In time we will also have the third Fleet for this Naval Command too along with all other Command assets.
In the end we come to the required Army assets in this proposed Southern Theatre Command. This will be the existing Andhra Telangana Tamil Nadu Karnatka & Kerala Area with its existing Sub Areas and the infantry division located at Secunderabad as an Air transportable Division. It will also need raising of an Amphibious Division for obvious reasons and an airborne brigade as a quick response force for out of area contingencies.
In time will come the Eastern Theatre , the South Western Theatre , the North Western Theatre and the Central Theatre after detailed study .
