The Chinese Navy is working towards overcoming the geographical bottleneck of the Strait of Malacca by having access to ports in the Indian Ocean, while the Indian Navy is working towards bolstering its anti-submarine warfare capability by acquiring Anti-Sub Sonobuoys from the US.

Since these are high-altitude sonobuoys, they can be deployed from Poseidon P-8I aircraft and MH-60R Seahawk helicopters. When the Indian Navy acquires its MQ-9 SeaGuardians, they will be able to deploy these sonobuoys to track the enemy submarines.

The deal’s approval comes as India and the US ink the non-binding Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA). Through SOSA, the two countries agree to provide reciprocal priority support for goods and services that promote national defense. The Arrangement will enable both countries to acquire the industrial resources they need to resolve unanticipated supply chain disruptions and meet national security needs.

In other words, in case of armed conflicts or other emergencies, the US will streamline the Department of Defense process and “proactively” allay anticipated supply chain issues.

India is the eighteenth SOSA partner of the U.S. Other SOSA partners include Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy is now the biggest in the world, with the largest number of hulls. According to the Pentagon, the Chinese Navy currently has 370 ships, compared to the US fleet’s 291 vessels.

Beijing is also expanding its underwater warfare capabilities. Its submarine fleet is expected to grow to 65 submarines by 2025 and 80 submarines by 2035.

For India, this is a major concern as the frequency of Chinese submarine visits to the Indian Ocean Region is on the rise.

The first time PLA-N submarines caused a stir in the region was in 2014 when two of its submarines docked in Colombo. In the first visit of a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine in the region, it docked at Karachi port in 2016. These two visits were indicative of the sizeable presence of the PLAN subsurface vessels in the region during the Doklam crisis.

The Chinese submarine presence in the eastern Indian Ocean and its approaches to the Malacca Straits concern India and change its strategic calculations. Hence, anti-submarine warfare capabilities are critical for India.

The US Secretary of State has approved a possible sale of anti-submarine warfare sonobuoys to India at an estimated cost of US$52.8 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified the US Congress of the possible sale on August 23. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to the US is currently ongoing.

India has sought to purchase AN/SSQ-53G High-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare (HAASW) sonobuoys, AN/SSQ-62F HAASW sonobuoys, and AN/SSQ-36 sonobuoys. It has also sought engineering and technical support from the contractor and other logistical support.

“The high-altitude sonobuoys are the ones used by P-8I aircraft, can be dropped from the air, and have an umbrella-like opening system underwater. It has signal processing units and transmits the underwater signal detected via RF link component attached,” an Indian Navy’s warfare specialist told the EurAsian Times.

In the absence of the high-altitude sonobuoys, the aircraft has to descend to drop so as not to damage the sonobuoys.

These sonobuoys amplify underwater acoustics, can provide both range and bearing to the target for accurate position fixing, and evaluate local effects of seawater temperature on sonar propagation and acoustic range prediction. They can be launched from both rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft and the decks of surface vessels.

The US government has said in a statement that the proposed sale will support the US foreign policy and national security objectives. These sonobuoys will be integrated with the MH-60 R helicopters recently acquired by the Indian Navy from the US. The first squadron was raised in March this year, and all the helicopters are expected to be delivered by 2025.

The MH-60R Seahawk is the maritime variant of the battle-proven UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, which is in service in multiple countries. Equipped for anti-submarine and anti-surface naval warfare, the MH-60Rs will extend the operational reach of Indian naval battle groups across the Indian Ocean region.

With a service ceiling of 20,000 feet, the choppers carry lightweight torpedoes, air-to-surface missiles, and advanced sensors for long-range homing, hunting, and destroying threats posed by enemy submarines and warships.

The Indian Navy also operates Poseidon P-8I submarine hunter aircraft.

The threats of Chinese submarines have been the main focus point of the RIMPAC-2024 as the Indian Navy’s P-8I and other countries hone their submarine hunting skills.

Indian Navy’s Anti-Submarine Capabilities

China has been seeking bases in the Indian Ocean Region that will help it extend the reach of its submarines. Gwadar port in Pakistan, Hambantota in Sri Lanka, and the submarine base in Bangladesh are all endeavors to achieve a foothold in India’s backyard.

Moreover, the PLA has a support base in Djibouti, which will play a crucial role in giving China the capacity to “project and sustain military power at a greater distance.”

The PLA has constructed a 300-meter-long berthing area that can accommodate larger vessels like aircraft carriers, submarines, and amphibious vessels. Experts also point out that China may build additional facilities like drydocks and repair facilities for both surface ships and submarines.

In light of this, the Indian Navy is consistently building up its anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

Earlier this year, the force raised its first squadron of MH-60R helicopters. Two Shallow Water Crafts, ‘Agray’ and ‘Akshay,’ were launched in March this year. In total, the Navy will acquire eight such SWCs capable of Anti-submarine warfare.

The Indian Navy will also acquire MQ-9B SeaGuardian, which is capable of carrying, releasing, and monitoring sonobuoys to detect enemy submarines. The “Hunter-Killer” can deploy a network of sonobuoys to detect and track enemy submarines, marking a significant advancement in maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare.

• Ritu Sharma has been a journalist for over a decade, writing on defense, foreign affairs, and nuclear technology.
• The author can be reached at ritu.sharma (at) mail.com
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