Indian Naval Modernization: Challenges and Opportunities for Pakistan

Abstract

The Indian naval modernization under the principles provided in its naval doctrines indicates India‟s offensive regional and global ambitions. To fulfill those offensive ambitions, India is continuously modernizing, acquiring and displaying its naval power. Today, India is regarded as among the world‟s fifth largest naval power. India‟s rapid modernization of its naval forces is perceived as the gravest challenge for Pakistan. Officials of Pakistan have reiterated that it is ready to provide all the necessary resources to ensure the naval strategic interests of Pakistan. The objective of this thesis is to discuss the challenges that Pakistan is facing due to Indian naval modernization. The thesis also aims to investigate the opportunities that are available for Pakistan to cope up with the challenges created by Indian naval modernization. The philosophical understanding of this dissertation is descriptive as well as exploratory in nature. The findings of the research has highlighted that India‟s continuous acquisition to modernize its naval power is dragging Pakistan to serious security and economic challenges. But China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Gawadar project has provided Pakistan with the opportunity to balance the Indian naval threat as these project direly needs the highly equipped and technologically advanced naval force to Pakistan to ensure their smooth continuity; therefore, has strengthened Pakistan and China naval cooperation. Furthermore, Pakistan-Turkey naval cooperation also provides Pakistan with an opportunity to enhance its indigenous manufacturing capabilities as Turkey is one of the ten countries in the world that has the national capability to build, design and maintain modern warships.