New Delhi [India], March 18 (ANI): A Parlimentary committee has urged the Ministry of External Affairs to take necessary measures to deepen bilateral, multilateral engagements, expand defence partnerships, and formulate a comprehensive regional strategy that will adequately reflect the centrality of the Indian Ocean in India's long-term strategic outlook.

In its report on action taken by the government on the observations and recommendations contained in the report on 'Evaluation of India's Indian Ocean Strategy', Standing Committee on External Affairs headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has emphasized the critical importance of strengthening Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) capabilities and recommended that Space Based surveillance-III (SBS-III) programme should be implemented in a strict time-bound manner.

Acknowledging the paramount strategic, economic, and environmental significance of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) for India, the Committee in its original Report had urged the MEA to intensify its efforts to build stronger bilateral, multilateral engagements and defence partnerships to ensure region's sustainability and security. The Committee noted from the Action Taken Reply furnished by the Ministry that India is committed to further strengthening defence and security cooperation in the region through continued provision of military assets, joint exercises, high level bilateral visits as well as capacity building support.

The Committee noted that Indian Ocean is undeniably an integral part of India's global strategy.

It said the importance of the Indian Ocean Region can be seen from the fact that it is spread over an area of over 70 million square kilometers, connecting over 35 littoral states and is home to one third of the world's population. India also has a significant stake in the Indian Ocean Region, with coastline exceeding 11,098 kilometers and India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) spanning 2.4 million square kilometers, and handles 90 per cent of India's trade volume, the report said, adding that globally, these waters handle half of container shipments, a third of bulk cargo, and two thirds of oil shipments.

Considering that Indian Ocean is vital not only to India's geopolitical, economic and cultural landscape, but also for maintaining regional and global order, the Committee desired that a more comprehensive strategy which will adequately enable India to take a leading role in ensuring security, stability and prosperity in the region may be worked out by the Ministry.

While noting some of the recent initiatives taken by the Government to address the security and various other concerns in the Indian Ocean Region, the committee said more initiatives are required to enable India to take a leading role in the region.

Concerned to note the continued strengthening of the China-Pakistan naval nexus, the Committee had expressed the view that India must remain proactive in countering the combined naval threat by bolstering its own deterrence capabilities and conducting joint exercises with partner countries to maintain strategic balance.

Referring to the Action Taken Reply furnished by Ministry of External Affairs, the Committee noted that the Indian Navy is seized of the security implications of the combined naval threat from China and Pakistan, and maintains a constant and close watch on their deployments in the region.

The Committee also noted that numerous measures have also been taken by Indian Navy, such as commissioning of INS Vikrant, modernization of submarine fleet, including nuclear powered submarine, induction of ASW corvettes, P8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft and the MH-60R helicopters.

The Committee expressed concern over reports regarding growing Chinese deployment in the IOR and expressed apprehensions of possibility of a nexus between China and Pakistan in the naval field in the Region.

'The Committee, therefore, desires that MEA should facilitate Indian navy's continued efforts to enhance strategic partnerships through increased deployments, joint exercises and collaborations with like-minded navies in the region. The Committee further emphasizes the critical importance of strengthening Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) capabilities,' the report said.

'In this regard, the Space Based surveillance-III (SBS-III) programme assumes strategic significance. The Committee recommends that this programme be implemented in a strictly time-bound manner so as to ensure real-time intelligence gathering, enhanced surveillance, and improved maritime situational awareness in the Indian Ocean Region,' it added.

Observing that greater efforts are required to effectively address the expanding scale of narcotics trafficking in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the Committee had recommended for a comprehensive strengthening of India's coastal surveillance infrastructure.

The Committee noted that a large number of measures have been implemented by Indian Navy to strengthen the overall security apparatus, such as establishment of National Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence Network (NC3I), creation of Sagar Prahari Bal, induction of over 80 fast interceptor craft and 23 Immediate Support Vessels, Coastal Security exercise, fitment of Automatic identification Systems (AIS) transponders on fishing vessels, etc.

The Committee also noted that Indian Coast Guard has also taken various measures to combat narcotic trafficking.

'While appreciating the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard for implementing various measures to enhance overall coastal security apparatus, the Committee reiterate that the threat posed by narcotics trafficking extends beyond coastal areas and has serious implications for national security, economic stability, and social order. The Committee is of the considered view that there is a need to strengthen India's coastal surveillance infrastructure so as to effectively tackle the threat posed by narcotics trafficking not only to coastal regions but also to broader national security,' the report said.

'In this regard, the Committee desired that a National Maritime Domain Awareness Project, which is at an advanced stage of implementation to integrate all maritime surveillance centres and database, under a single umbrella may be established in a time bound manner.

The Committee said it is imperative for India to set up state of the coastal surveillance infrastructure for monitoring its huge Exclusive Economic Zone so as to effectively address the challenges posed by threats like piracy, trafficking, illegal fishing, maritime terrorism, natural calamities.

The Committee also noted from the reply furnished by the Ministry that as of September, 2025, the Indian Navy has a force level of 140 ships and submarines and 264 aircrafts. Besides this, 55 ships are presently under construction to be inducted over the next six years, and acceptance of necessity (AoN) has been accorded for the construction of 74 additional ships and submarines.

The Committee said India has an important role to play to ensure safety, security and prosperity of the region.

'Considering that Indian Ocean is vital to India's geopolitical, economic and cultural landscape, it is important that India devote more resources for a greater naval presence in the region and provide a credible deterrence, protect its national interest.'

The Committee reiterated its earlier recommendation to invest in the modernization of Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard so that India can provide a credible deterrence, protect its national interest and efficiently play the role of net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region. (ANI)