OPERATION KAVERI : Navy must get two Landing ship Dock and iaf one Squadron of IL76 MD, pronto
The Indian Navy and the IAF are conducting OPERATION KAVERI to rescue hundreds of citizens stranded in Sudan. It is a massive rescue operation being carried out by our indigenous-built navy ship INS Sumedha.
The mission is aimed at rescuing Indian nationals who are currently stranded in Sudan amidst a clash between two regional entities, the para-military force Rapid Support Force and the Sudanese military. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement, “The government is closely monitoring the complex and evolving security situation in Sudan and is coordinating with various partners for the safe movement of Indians who wish to be evacuated.”
The Indian Embassy in Sudan said they are not only in touch with the Sudanese authorities but also with the UN, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, and the US, among others. “The Indian officials in Sudan are in regular touch with the stranded Indians and advise them on the viability of safe movement and the need to avoid unnecessary risks,” the MEA stated, confirming that the two Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft are currently positioned on standby in Jeddah airport while INS Sumedha has reached Port Sudan. However, any movement on the ground would depend on the security situation, which continues to be volatile, with reports of fierce fighting at various locations in Khartoum.
It has been confirmed that INS Sumedha departed from Port Sudan at 14:30 India time on Tuesday as it headed towards Jeddah port in Saudi Arabia. The government confirmed that the first batch of 278 people was successfully rescued during this voyage.
When clashes broke out in Sudan on April 15, 2023, INS Sumedha was in the area and immediately diverted to Port Sudan. Thus INS Sumedha was effectively in a position to provide immediate assistance to the stranded Indians in Sudan.
In a tweet on Monday evening, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced the launch of Operation Kaveri to rescue Indian citizens stranded in Sudan. He stated that around 500 Indians had already reached Port Sudan, and more were on their way. He also mentioned that Indian ships and aircraft were ready to bring them back home.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that due to the closure of Sudanese airspace for all foreign aircraft, and logistical challenges and risks associated with overland movement, it is likely that the two Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130J aircraft, which were on standby in Jeddah, would fly back to India along with the stranded Indians from Jeddah Airport.
The Indigenously built, INS Sumedha (P58) is the third Saryu-class patrol vessel of the Indian Navy. It is a stealth offshore patrol vessel constructed at Goa Shipyard Ltd and is fitted with a state-of-the-art weapon and sensor package. These OPVs are routinely deployed for fleet support operations such as anti-piracy patrol and search and rescue (SAR).
Due to non availability of suitable ships these OPVs have also been used by the Indian Navy for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), surveillance, and escort missions. It can carry an Advanced Light Combat Helicopter onboard and is also involved in monitoring sea lines of communications and offshore assets, as well as escort duties.
However what the Indian Navy actually needs to support its fleet support missions, medical missions amphibious missions, out of area contingencies, Disaster Relief missions and Human evacuations missions are four LPDs ( Landing Platform Dock) of 40000 tons.
In 2011, the Indian Navy initiated the “Multi-Role Support Vessel” Program (MSRV) to acquire four landing platform docks. Request For Proposal went out in 2013. All efforts went down the drain when in 2019 the project had to be cancelled at tendering stage.
However in August 2021, the MoD issued a new RFI for the procurement of four landing platform docks to domestic Indian shipyards, under guidelines of its “Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020” (DAP-2020.
According to the details of the RFI, the first vessel built should be ready for delivery within 60 months of the contract being signed, while the remaining three should be delivered at one-year intervals.
Further specifications of the RFI dictated that the competing Indian shipyards must seek transfer of technology (TOT) from a foreign naval shipbuilder, and that the four prescribed vessels must be built in India, with a proportion of indigenous content..
Action needs to be taken to provide these four ships at the rate of one per Naval Command and one at Andaman, at the earliest possible. In time to come the Indian work force will be spreading to all corners of the world in large numbers and the Navy should be ever ready to provide help if need arises.
Similarly the IAF needs at least four additional heavy lift transport aircraft of 50 ton lift capacity. The latest version of IL76 MD 90 seems to be the best suitable aircraft to argument our existing IL76 and C17s. Russia should be asked to supply 12 aircrafts at the earliest possible and the remaining 36 can be made in India.
These transport aircraft will be invaluable in case a two front war is ever imposed on us. These are very valuable and essential assets for disaster relief and rescue missions not only internally but internationally two as has been seen since last 20 years.
