<p>With China flexing muscles and the US all set to bolster its presence in the Asia-Pacific, India now looks for a “common but flexible” Asian security architecture to determine the rule of games in strategically important Indian Ocean, through which bulk of the world’s oil and cargo moves.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Days after the US announced its plans to add one more carrier battle group in the Asia-Pacific, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is apprehensive that it could lead to a steady increase in militarisation of the region, to which Asian powers will react.<br /><br />In the changed security dynamics, India needed common but flexible security framework which will allow day-to-day level functioning without any conflict, top government sources said. A beginning was made at last year’s East Asian security summit where for the first time regional security issues were discussed.<br /><br />“Our interest is in freedom of our navigation, which should not lead to any conflict of interests in the Asia-Pacific,” sources said, clearly hinting at the two instances where China objected to Indian presence in South China Sea. Beijing’s sovereignty claim on a part of Indian Ocean ruffled feathers not only in India but in other South and East Asian countries too. As a consequence, the Navy intensified its maritime diplomacy to leave its footprint all over Indian Ocean. <br /><br />A four-ship fleet from Vishakhapatnam-based Eastern Naval Command travelled up to Japan making port calls in India’s south Asian neighbours. The fleet reached Sanghai earlier this week for a six-day stay. Another four-ship fleet from Mumbai-based Western Naval Command is all set to undertake a voyage up to the coast of Africa and Europe furthering the Navy’s blue water ambition.<br /><br />Two more warships are on duty at piracy infested Gulf of Aden and monitoring the exclusive economic zone of Seychelles on the request of the island nation, signalling a pan-Indian Ocean deployment of Indian Navy. A boost will come with the induction of Russian origin aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya on December 4. Onboard air trial of Mig-29K will begin in the White Sea in a month’s time.<br /></p>
<p>With China flexing muscles and the US all set to bolster its presence in the Asia-Pacific, India now looks for a “common but flexible” Asian security architecture to determine the rule of games in strategically important Indian Ocean, through which bulk of the world’s oil and cargo moves.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Days after the US announced its plans to add one more carrier battle group in the Asia-Pacific, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is apprehensive that it could lead to a steady increase in militarisation of the region, to which Asian powers will react.<br /><br />In the changed security dynamics, India needed common but flexible security framework which will allow day-to-day level functioning without any conflict, top government sources said. A beginning was made at last year’s East Asian security summit where for the first time regional security issues were discussed.<br /><br />“Our interest is in freedom of our navigation, which should not lead to any conflict of interests in the Asia-Pacific,” sources said, clearly hinting at the two instances where China objected to Indian presence in South China Sea. Beijing’s sovereignty claim on a part of Indian Ocean ruffled feathers not only in India but in other South and East Asian countries too. As a consequence, the Navy intensified its maritime diplomacy to leave its footprint all over Indian Ocean. <br /><br />A four-ship fleet from Vishakhapatnam-based Eastern Naval Command travelled up to Japan making port calls in India’s south Asian neighbours. The fleet reached Sanghai earlier this week for a six-day stay. Another four-ship fleet from Mumbai-based Western Naval Command is all set to undertake a voyage up to the coast of Africa and Europe furthering the Navy’s blue water ambition.<br /><br />Two more warships are on duty at piracy infested Gulf of Aden and monitoring the exclusive economic zone of Seychelles on the request of the island nation, signalling a pan-Indian Ocean deployment of Indian Navy. A boost will come with the induction of Russian origin aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya on December 4. Onboard air trial of Mig-29K will begin in the White Sea in a month’s time.<br /></p>