Article Posted on : - Nov 18, 2012

A Pak Navy photo.

CHENNAI (PTI): Pakistan Navy's 'footprint' in the Persian Gulf may increase as China is developing Gwadar deep water port in Balochistan, a senior Naval official has said.

"With the development of Gwadar port by the Chinese, they will have more access to the Persian Gulf in that area. And to that extent, you could say that the footprint of the Pakistani Navy could increase in the Persian Gulf," Vice Admiral Anil Chopra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command said on Saturday.

Delivering a talk on 'Navies and Nations,'organised by the Navy and National Maritime Foundation here, he said the Pakistani Navy has maintained very sustained force levels for the last 20-30 years and has modernised with new technology.

Observing that wise nations continued sustained funding on the navies despite 'ups and downs,' Admiral Chopra said India is likely to get aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov from Russia next year.

Terming Indian Navy's relations with the Chinese as "good," he said many ships of the Eastern Fleet called on Chinese port Shanghai earlier this year.

Admiral Chopra said India has been working closely with many international networks to address issues like maritime threats and piracy. "We have sent ships across the world for very humanitarian operations, including disaster relief."

To a question on the presence of Indian Navy across the world, he said, "Indian naval footprint is moving around the areas of India's interest."

Noting that the Indian Navy has the potential to become a naval superpower, he said it required the collective will and people's aspirations as a whole and maritime understanding in the general populace for developing the country's naval power.

Referring to the energy security of China and Japan with uninterrupted flow of oil through the sea, he said India importing 70 per cent of its oil is a classic example of the country's total dependence of safe seas.

He said as far as naval scenario is concerned, there is every possibility that the US Navy would continue to rule the waves.