Indian Submarine
Yet another act of belligerence by India and not an ordinary one too!
An Indian submarine was detected in Pakistan waters but how close was it
to our shores is not disclosed. Our only source of information to this
Indian venture is media, which is not very explicit about it. A media report
says that it was not allowed to enter Pakistan waters. Another reports it
to have been pushed away out of the Pakistan territorial waters – which implies
that it had transgressed the Pakistan territory. Yet another one says that it
was detected while snorkelling, making it easier to be located and identified.
Submarines surface to periscope depth to recharge their exhausted batteries
which is normally done after a few days of their having been under water.
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) assets of the Pakistani Navy would have either
spotted it or picked it up through radar or sonar. If the Indian sub had
surfaced to breathe, for how long had it been there and w! hat was it doing?
Was she on an intelligence gathering mission or trying to land saboteurs ashore
or delivering weapons and explosives to the Indian agents already in
Balochistan? The question arises if it had been there in our waters was
its presence known or not? If not, why not? In any case, now that it is
established that the enemy sub did venture into our waters what guarantees are
there that it won’t happen again. And what could be done to prevent such
a reoccurrence? Should the matter be not taken up internationally at the UN?
Should China not be asked to augment our Anti Submarine Warfare Assets
substantially to guard and protect Gwadar against any such future
eventuality? After all it is in China’s own interest to secure its recently
opened line of communication. And lastly, the PN must ensure that no such
intruder slips away that easily in future.
Col.Riaz Jafri (Retd)
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