THE MAKING OF A MARITIME NATION

India is an ocean power by geography, but not yet in thought, deed and spirit. Its transition into the big league requires an abiding interest in the surrounding waters and a conviction that its future greatness lies on the sea

- BISWAJIT DASGUPTA

India is a maritime nation’ is an oft-heard phrase, strategically inserted into speeches of senior politicians and government functionaries. It has a nice ring to it. People believe what they say because of the exalted stature of the speakers. Besides, it sounds quite self-glorifying. This belief, however, is not necessarily because we understand what it means to be a maritime nation.

Geographically, India is a maritime nation. There was never a doubt about it. Very few countries in the world have oceans on three sides. No other country in the world has an ocean named after it. India’s maritime and seafaring tradition dates back to 3,000 BCE when the Indus Valley civilisation was known to have maritime trade with Mesopotamia.

Geography has time and again shaped the history of nations. Rivers and seas have been critical elements of such civilisational histories, be it the early Egyptian civilisation along the banks of the Nile or our very own Indus Valley. Two-thirds of civilisations live within 200 miles from coasts. It is also an undeniable fact of history that invaders who came to India across the land borders either went back or were assimilated, but the colonisers who came to India from the sea enslaved, plundered and looted the Indian people for over three centuries.

Does India possess a maritime mindset? The answer is a big ‘no.’ It was a bigger ‘no’ till even a few years ago. It has been a recent realisation that India has to look towards the sea not just to counter maritime adversaries, but also for its economic well-being. This is what we term as the ‘Blue Economy’. We are ‘Blue’ in word, but not in thought and deed. Here is why.

DEFENCE