Trimming sails

Need to ensure navy's plans and capabilities are harmonised

The Indian Navy chief has underscored an alarming shortfall in warships and submarines, adding to the worry caused by earlier reports that the navy’s capital warships — the aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, corvettes and submarines that constitute its strike power — remain hamstrung by the absence of essential, onboard equipment, such as sonar, torpedoes and multi-role helicopters. True, the navy deserves praise for its year-round presence across the Indian Ocean and its participation in prestigious international exercises such as Malabar. However, these shortfalls mean that the navy would be painfully exposed when it graduates from peacetime exercises to actual combat.