Mumbai, Nov 21 (FN Agency) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday took a dig at China without naming it and said some ‘irresponsible nations’ out of ‘hegemonic tendencies’ are arbitrarily defining the rule based order established by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the Indian Navy’s guided missile destroyer ship Visakhapatnam, the Defence Minister made a veiled attack at China, and spoke in detail about the freedom of navigation. He also mentioned indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant, which is undergoing trials, and said it will increase India’s reach from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Stressing on the importance of the Indian Ocean as a trade route, the Union Minister said, “Keeping the Indo-Pacific open, safe, and secure is the primary objective of the Indian Navy.” “The UN convention on laws of the sea defines territorial waters, exclusive economic zone and good order at sea. Arbitrary interpretation of these creates problems in rule based order…
There are some nations, I would call them irresponsible nations, who for their narrow partisan interests and out of hegemonic interests, give new definitions to these laws everyday,” he said in an apparent attack on China, though he did not name the country. India, and other countries have been expressing concerns over the increased activities and presence of the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean. “These rules are very important, but they are being weakened by arbitrary definitions. It is a matter of concern. As a responsible maritime stakeholder, India supports consensus based peaceful, and rule based maritime order,” Singh said. The Minister said India wanted a rule-based Indo-Pacific, with freedom of navigation, where interests of all stakeholders are protected. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), also called the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea Treaty, is an international agreement that establishes a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities. The Defence Minister termed INS Visakhapatnam as a symbol of the growing maritime prowess of the country and a major milestone in achieving Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’. He also talked about indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant, which is presently undergoing sea trials, and is expected to be inducted in the Navy later next year.
“Development of INS Vikrant is also a milestone in the indigenisation efforts of the Navy. Despite Covid, the ship has finished it’s maiden trials,” Singh said. “Forty fighter jets can land on it, and it’s armed with anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and land attack missiles.This carrier will increase our reach from Indian Ocean to Pacific and Atlantic oceans,” he said , adding that it’s commissioning would be a golden day not just for Navy but also in India’s defence history. Singh also pitched for indigenisation in defence, and appreciated the self-reliance efforts of the Indian Navy, terming Navy’s order of 39 of the 41 ships and submarines from Indian shipyards as a testament to their commitment towards achieving ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh meanwhile said commissioning of Visakhapatnam significantly enhances Indian Navy’s ability to maintain credible presence in the maritime domain and protect India’s maritime interests. First of the four destroyers under the project 15B, INS Visakhapatnam, which was formally inducted in the force, has been indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation Directorate of Naval Design.
The stealth guided missile destroyer Visakhapatnam is the first ship of Project 15B. Constructed at the Mazagon Docks Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai, the 163-meter-long, 17 meters wide, 7400 tonnes ship has been called one of the most potent warships constructed in India. The ship has been constructed using indigenous steel DMR 249A and is amongst the largest destroyers constructed in India. Around 75 per cent content of the ship is indigenous. “With the changing power dynamics in the Indian Ocean Region, INS Visakhapatnam will augment the Indian Navy’s mobility, reach and flexibility towards accomplishment of its tasks and goals,” the Indian Navy said in a statement. The second of the Visakhapatnam class ships, Mormugao is likely to be commissioned in the Navy in September 2023, the other two ships, Imphal and Surat are expected to be commissioned by 2024 and 2025, as per Navy officials.