Antony blasts Navy for pulling off last-minute USS Cole surprise

Antony blasts Navy for pulling off last-minute USS Cole surprise

Pranab Dhal Samanta

Posted online: Sunday, May 04, 2008 at 2356 hrs IST

NEW DELHI, MAY 3
Cautious not to give the slightest impression of any “alliance building” by India, Defence Minister A K Antony has pulled up the Navy for not giving details well in advance about the presence of USS Cole in the recently concluded Indo-UK naval exercises. Antony, sources said, was upset with the Navy for holding back such information till the last minute when clearances were needed.

The Indo-UK ‘Konkan’ exercises were held from April 21 to May 2 in which USS Cole and French stealth ship FS Surcouf participated as observers.

According to reliable sources, Navy had first taken the permission for a French and a Spanish ship to be observers from the British side in the exercise. Later, the Navy is said to have informed that USS Cole would participate and that the Spanish ship was withdrawing.

This was when matters came to a head. USS Cole’s presence coincided with the brief visit of Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. But with the Navy taking the plea that the ship had already set sail for India, no option was left with South Block but to give the clearance.

While the details of annual bilateral exercises are known, the uncertainty was with third country ships being embedded into the event as observers.

The entire episode prompted a strongly worded letter from the Ministry of External Affairs which alleged that the Navy was seeking clearances just a week or so before the foreign ship was to arrive in India, hence presenting a “fait accompli” not keeping in mind the foreign policy implications. This further escalated the situation.

As a result, Antony has conveyed to the Navy that from now on, the contours of a naval exercise with any country must be spelled out to the last detail and the ministry intimated “well in advance”.

Sources said he had expressed reservations even during the Indo-US Malabar exercises in which ships from Japan, Australia, Singapore participated. The event had sparked off a major protest by the Left parties which organised ‘jathas’ along the coast. Under constant attack from the Left for moving closer to US and not pursuing an “independent foreign policy”, the government is clearly making sure that it does not give the slightest opportunity for the Left to accuse it of being part of a Western alliance.

Once it was clear that stopping USS Cole from being embedded into the exercise was not a feasible option, sources said, it was decided to keep the entire exercise a low-key affair and all media exposure was called off at the last minute. Elaborate plans to take media contingents aboard ships were dropped and the exercise received no major publicity.

Thereafter, the Navy was told not to be presumptuous about obtaining clearances. Even the MEA has been asked to keep a closer watch and carefully study the foreign policy implications of third-country ships being embedded during a bilateral navy exercise, particularly when it involves US ships.

Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta was pulled up once earlier by Antony for making remarks against Russia on the Gorshkov issue. The MEA too has been taking strong exception about the Navy taking decisions which have foreign policy implications without consultation.

But top officials also point out that with growing defence cooperation between India and other countries, the Navy, in particular, has several opportunities to interact with foreign navies. There are established steering groups, for instance, between Indian and US navies that chart out future exercises, port calls and joint manoeuvres.

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Antony blasts Navy for pulling off last-minute USS Cole surprise Pranab Dhal Samanta Posted online: Sunday, May 04, 2008 at 2356 hrs IST NEW DELHI, MAY 3 Cautious not to give the slightest impression of any “alliance building” by India, Defence Minister A K Antony has pulled up the Navy for not giving details well in advance about the presence of USS Cole in the recently concluded Indo-UK naval exercises. Antony, sources said, was upset with the Navy for holding back such information till the last minute when clearances were needed. The Indo-UK ‘Konkan’ exercises were held from April 21 to May 2 in which USS Cole and French stealth ship FS Surcouf participated as observers. According to reliable sources, Navy had first taken the permission for a French and a Spanish ship to be observers from the British side in the exercise. Later, the Navy is said to have informed that USS Cole would participate and that the Spanish ship was withdrawing. This was when matters came to a head. USS Cole’s presence coincided with the brief visit of Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. But with the Navy taking the plea that the ship had already set sail for India, no option was left with South Block but to give the clearance. While the details of annual bilateral exercises are known, the uncertainty was with third country ships being embedded into the event as observers. The entire episode prompted a strongly worded letter from the Ministry of External Affairs which alleged that the Navy was seeking clearances just a week or so before the foreign ship was to arrive in India, hence presenting a “fait accompli” not keeping in mind the foreign policy implications. This further escalated the situation. As a result, Antony has conveyed to the Navy that from now on, the contours of a naval exercise with any country must be spelled out to the last detail and the ministry intimated “well in advance”. Sources said he had expressed reservations even during the Indo-US Malabar exercises in which ships from Japan, Australia, Singapore participated. The event had sparked off a major protest by the Left parties which organised ‘jathas’ along the coast. Under constant attack from the Left for moving closer to US and not pursuing an “independent foreign policy”, the government is clearly making sure that it does not give the slightest opportunity for the Left to accuse it of being part of a Western alliance. Once it was clear that stopping USS Cole from being embedded into the exercise was not a feasible option, sources said, it was decided to keep the entire exercise a low-key affair and all media exposure was called off at the last minute. Elaborate plans to take media contingents aboard ships were dropped and the exercise received no major publicity. Thereafter, the Navy was told not to be presumptuous about obtaining clearances. Even the MEA has been asked to keep a closer watch and carefully study the foreign policy implications of third-country ships being embedded during a bilateral navy exercise, particularly when it involves US ships. Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta was pulled up once earlier by Antony for making remarks against Russia on the Gorshkov issue. The MEA too has been taking strong exception about the Navy taking decisions which have foreign policy implications without consultation. But top officials also point out that with growing defence cooperation between India and other countries, the Navy, in particular, has several opportunities to interact with foreign navies. There are established steering groups, for instance, between Indian and US navies that chart out future exercises, port calls and joint manoeuvres.