Naval Interest:

THE TIGER VISITS THE DRAGON

The Tiger and the Dragon are not best friends but the
Dragon 

prefers "soft power" at the moment, and the Tiger is not a 

war monger. So once in while they visit each other just to

confirm that neither is currently intending on devouring the 

other. It has been six years since Indian Warships ("The 

Tiger") have visited the Dragon's lair (Shanghai). On June 13, 

2012 the Indian warships SHIVALIK, KARMUK, and SHAKTI 

and their combined crews of about 1400 sailors started a

a goodwill tour on the Dragon's turf. 

 In the U.S. and British navies we call such activities "showing 

the Flag". Despite the casual sounding name such fleet 

activities are really very formal diplomatic missions. It takes a 

mature and well developed navy to conduct such operations, 

naval forces are the only armed forces that regularly engage 

in diplomacy.The Indian fleet at the time of this visit was

led by Vice Admiral Anil Chopra, Chief of the Eastern 

Command.The Vice Admiral met with the top officials of the 

Chinese People's Liberation Army's Navy who visited the 

ships.

 This was the first visit to China in six years by Indian naval 

vessels. Both nations have made serious efforts to

demonstrate emerging rapprochement, despite border 

disputes and misgivings about each other's rise in economic 

and naval power. The ships visit is considered a high point of 

defense exchanges this year. Both countries have designated 

this a year of "friendship and cooperation". Indian 

ambassador to China S. Jaishnakar was in Shanghai

and told Indian news services that the ships visit was 

planned to make maximum public impact. There was public 

visitation,and Chinese school children and naval band 

performances. 

Our own take on the visit of the Tiger with the Dragon is 

simple. If India was as weak as Vietnam or the Philippines 

this wouldn't be happening. The Dragon only deals with the 

strong it simply eats the weak. Earlier in the week the Indian 

Navy demonstrated its friendship with the Dragon's other 

powerful neighbor, the Land of the Rising Sun. The question

that is yet to be answered is, will the combined naval power 

of India and Japan be used only to secure their own borders 

or will these two powers combine to apply pressure on the 

Dragon to also deal fairly and peacefully with its weaker 

neighbors on the South China Sea?  Its a matter of "face". If 

China is seen as dealing fairly with its neighbors as opposed 

to giving in to "American demands" it is more likely to settle 

the maritime boundary issues in accordance with international 

law. The Dragon is voracious with serious territorial 

ambitions, but not stupid or politically unaware. It prefers soft 

power, but the emphasis is always on power.

 India and Japan are regional powers. Are they willing to use 

that power in combination on behalf of the weaker nations of 

the region? The United States has been the World's 

policeman for too long. The image between Cop and Bully 

has become blurred. If India and Japan were to be insistent 

on good dragon behavior, the United States could fade into

the role of auxiliary policeman. The Dragon knows that it 

would have little chance against a combination of India and 

Japan and that a Japan facing China's guns would never be 

alone. With the U.S. Pacific fleet entering as back up the 

Dragon would be headed to the bottom of the sea. But with 

the United States not being a shrill voice at the table the 

Dragon can afford to be gracious with its neighbors, even if in 

truth it would cheerfully eat them all if it could. The Indian 

Navy is a force in the world, the world is waiting to see if it will 

also become a moral force.

 

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