Admiral confident of India's future role

Meidyatama Suryodiningrat and Sabam Siagian, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Persuasive, confident and proud. Characteristics not only becoming of India's Navy chief, Adm. Arun Prakash, but also of the country he represents -- the often overlooked next world global power.

Everyone talks about China, but it is India that may quietly steal the show in coming decades.

Without boasting, Arun, who is also chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, has no delusions that with India projected to be the third largest economy in 2050, "we will be a major player in our own right!"

Speaking to The Jakarta Post here on Thursday, Arun was confident India was positioning itself in the right frame to become a responsible regional power.

He conceded that energy "is one weak area" but assured that Delhi was striving to acquire energy assets worldwide. India is also hopeful that with the help of the United States, its nuclear power generation industry will pick up in the next three decades.

"If things go right and we don't have any major roadblocks ... Economically I think we are going to (be a major player). Nothing's going to stop us.

"Along with that, one hopes that militarily we will also strengthen ourselves so that it is appropriate to our stature in the world.

"If that happens, then I think we'll have a place of our own in this part of the world, and we won't worry too much about what other powers are doing."

In a series of questions and answers about potential competition from the likes of China and Russia, Arun was persistent that his country would not be reactive and instead focus on building its own strength.

"At the moment things look pretty rosy (for China and Russia), but each of them has their own internal contradictions," he remarked.

Born in the Kashmir valley 61 years ago, Arun hails from a family filled with distinguished militarymen. Both his brothers served in the army, and his daughter married an air force pilot who has since moved on to work for a commercial airline.

"I come from the very northern part of India which is 1,500 kilometers from the nearest piece of sea. So I always wanted to see the sea," Arun said of his decision to join the naval academy in 1961.

"I also had an interest in flying. Put the two together, and I became a naval pilot."

He admits that a bit of inspiration may also have come from watching a 1955 Hollywood movie -- The Bridges at Toko-Ri -- starring the late William Holden as an American navy pilot in the Korean War.

Specializing in aviation, young Arun's first major assignment was to fly Sea Hawk jet fighters aboard the INS Vikrant in 1968.

From there his career soared further with several combat missions and subsequent decorations. His command of seagoing units included, among others, the INS Vindhyagiri and aircraft carrier INS Viraat. He was handed command of the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet in 1995.

Six months after becoming India's 20th navy chief in July 2004, Arun took the reins as chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee in January 2005.

Asked about his five-day visit to Indonesia, which began on Wednesday, Arun defined it as an indication of the importance and a sign of commitment that India and its navy places on Indonesia.

"I have come on the invitation of my counterpart (Indonesian Navy Chief Adm. Slamet Soebijanto), and I thought it would be a good idea if my visit were to coincide with the visit of some of our ships," he said, referring to the docking at Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta of the INS Viraat aircraft carrier accompanied by two guided missile destroyers, replenishment ship and a missile corvette.

Based on meetings he had already had with Soebijanto and TNI Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, the Indian admiral was upbeat about further military cooperation between the two countries.

Apart from further exchange in training with Indonesia, Arun says he does not see why India "should not conduct joint exercises with someone who is our direct neighbor" aside from just joint patrols of the maritime boundary.

He was also reminded of India's large defense industry.

"So if there are any areas of interest to the Indonesian Navy we would be happy if you could buy it from us."

But when pressed about the reason for the visit of INS Viraat, the admiral seemed to play down any ulterior political motivation. He in fact brushed it aside as being insignificant: "Its just one of our ships."

Be that as it may, the symbolism of the Indian naval flagship and the first Indian aircraft carrier to visit Indonesia speaks volumes of the way India is increasingly projecting itself in the region.

Asked about the rampant incidence of piracy in the Strait of Malacca, Arun expressed confidence that the area's navies were capable of countering any threat.

"However, we are neighbors. We (India) are always available should anyone need our cooperation ... But only if asked, because at this moment we feel quite confident that things are in good hands."

But has India been asked?

"We have not been asked, nor is there any need for us to be asked."

Sometimes more diplomatic than a professional diplomat, Arun was steady in his focus that India's rise as a major economic and military power should be measured in proportion to its own growth, and not as a superpower competition with the likes of China.

"Nations ultimately do have to look after their own interests. You don't have to worry about who's doing what, but when your national interest is threatened then you've got to wake up," he insisted.

Since its conflict with China in 1962, Sino-Indo relations have come a long way, typified by direct dialog and engagement.

"In fact there is a tacit understanding that the border problem between the two countries will be put on the back burner and will engage each other in more positive spheres."

Queried about China's potential presence -- through its military cooperation with Myanmar -- in the Bay of Bengal, Arun swiftly dismissed the suggestion of such an immediate presence.

"But if there is a possibility of Chinese presence in the Bay of Bengal, then it may impact on our interest and then we may have to review that situation in that point in time.

"But we are not building a navy which is (simply) focused on now or here. It is focused on the next 25 years, on our interest on how to safeguard them."

Arun was no less diplomatic when asked about India's growing military relations with the United States through a recently agreed upon defense agreement.

"I don't think there's been any fundamental change in our policy. On issues which we have taken a principle stand, I don't think we are likely to change.

"People read a lot into this ... We don't expect any particular assistance from them (the United States). This is a broad agreement which envisages cooperation in various areas with each other."

One area in which he had no qualms in being compelling about was the danger of maritime terrorism.

"As things get hotter for the terrorists on land, I think its quite logical that they will move seawards. So there is potential for tremendous trouble at sea. It is likely to happen unless we work together on preemptive actions."

While he may be a military man at heart and advocate for a strong Indian armed forces for the future, Arun ultimately believes that it is the peaceful instruments of democracy that make India, and eventually a country like Indonesia, great.

"But perhaps our inherent strength is our democracy. Our secular setup, our open system, our economic strengths. These will probably show up in 25 to 30 years."