Revisiting India’s maritime legacy can drive advancements in naval strength, trade security and regional cooperation, paving the way for a strong maritime future
India has a rich maritime history dating back to the Indus Valley civilisation. People of ancient Indian empires such as Mauryas and Cholas were active seafarers who undertook long and arduous voyages for trade, cultural, religious and political causes. Various regional powers and rulers such as Marathas, Marakkars and even Mughals tried to contest the ascendancy of European naval supremacy in Indian waters. The present-day Indian Navy was born out of the Royal Indian Navy in 1947, with already meagre assets divided between India and Pakistan. As a result, the Indian Navy was initially a coastal force responsible for coastal defence and protection of maritime trade. The Indian Navy proved its mettle during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971.
The decisive and bold actions by the Navy in the 1971 war made the nation realise the potential of the silent, yet dynamic and effective element of the comprehensive national power. Commencing with the international humanitarian and disaster relief operations in the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami, the Indian Navy has significantly stepped up its operational tempo.
The recent successes of the Indian Navy in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden protecting mariners of various nationalities, including Pakistanis, have been internationally appreciated. Indian Navy ships have evacuated personnel of the Indian diaspora and citizens of friendly foreign countries from conflict areas such as Lebanon (2006) and Yemen (2015).
Ancient Indian Maritime Culture As India strives for its rightful position on the global stage, we need to revive and study the historical and indigenous Indian maritime strategic thought. Our scriptures, treatises and literature reference the rich Indian maritime strategic culture. Other powers that arose in the Indian sub-continent such as Satavahanas, Pallavas, Pandyas, Cholas and many others continued the rich maritime traditions of the Indian civilisation well past the decline of the mighty Mauryan empire. The adoption of a new naval ensign inspired by the spirit of Shivaji’s maritime endeavours is a step in this direction that needs to be ingrained in the ethos of all maritime and naval endeavours of the nation.
Shivaji’s Maritime Endeavours: The Marathas were the only Indian power between the 17th to early 19th centuries who successfully challenged the growing European influence in Indian waters.
Shivaji, his son Sambhaji Maharaj and their able Admirals such as Mayank Bhandari, Dautat Khan, Sidhoji Gujar and legendary Kanhoji Angre raised and maintained a strong Navy of over 5000 personnel comprising over 300 vessels at its peak. Noted historian Jadunath Sarkar acknowledges that “Nothing proves Shivaji’s genius as a born statesman more clearly than his creation of a navy and naval bases”. The Maratha naval prowess was further consolidated under Maratha Admiral Kanhoji Angre from 1699 onwards. He effectively challenged the British maritime power on the West coast from his base at Vijaydurg in Ratnagiri.
His tactics of attacking the deep draught British ships with shallow water crafts, utilising the shelter of shallow natural harbour and fortress with mounted heavy guns were akin to typical sea denial and littoral warfare operations practised by modern navies. Such was the Maratha naval supremacy that even a combined Anglo-Portuguese assault on Kolaba island of Mumbai in 1772 failed to dislodge the Marathas. Strategic Maritime Culture of Cholas The earliest mention of Chola’s naval prowess dating back to Roman records of the 1st century AD highlights the presence of a flourishing port at Kaveripatnam and the King’s fleet escorting merchant ships into the harbour.
The Periplus of the Erythrean Sea mentions the voyage of the early Chola ship ‘Colandia’ from Kaveripatnam to islands in the Pacific Ocean. The maritime power of Cholas reached its peak between the 9th and 10th centuries during which the Cholas developed a strong Navy with Blue Water capabilities and established robust trade links with China and South East Asia. The seafarers of the Chola empire had exceptional navigational skills and, an understanding of the seas, monsoons, winds and currents. They were conversant with the use of a 32-point Arab-Tamil wind compass and as many as 56 stars in the Northern Hemisphere for navigation. Despite the lack of a rudder and magnetic compass, the Cholas seafarers could traverse the distance between India and Southeast Asia in twelve to fifteen days, indicative of their Blue Water capability. The maritime endeavours of c Cholas provide valuable insights for stakeholders of the contemporary Indian maritime strategy. The Indian maritime outlook for the Indian Ocean Region that has evolved from the ‘Look East’ to ‘Act East’ and the Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) can draw inspiration from India’s maritime legacy. Initiatives like anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden, HADR missions, Sagarmala and Port Led Development, SAGAR, Atma Nirbharta and Make in India etc. have common threads with the maritime practices of Cholas.
(The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not reflect the position of the Indian Navy or the Pioneer. The writer is currently serving as Directing Staff at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington)
