February 1st:Guarding our coasts

We indian celebrate  today, 1st February, Indian coast guard day. It is to recognize n relish the littoral importance we give. For decades we have been obsessed with territorial engagement n hence a neglect to maritime n sea power. Now wen turf of competition is shifting towards waters we are bound to recall Afred T. Mahan who emphasized on sea power n spykesman's rimland theory to muster our prowess. Shankkar Aiyar in his "Accidental India" indicates india's peculiar trait of responding crisis to lay institutions like NIA after26/11, 1991 reform after BOP crisis, GR after mid 1960s drought n now MAUSAM project in response of Chinese OBOR. Hitherto neglected Maritimes security despite Indian ocean being named on India n her high stakes, Chinese is perhaps dragging her into water that is why she is gearing up for cooperation in various exercises Malabar, Ausidex etc. US is trying hard to make India an integral partner in its Asia pivot to contain china. Offensive realist Bharat karnad, a senior fellow at centre for policy research, in his book " why is India not a superpower (yet)" prescribes to flex her muscle in cooperation with Japan(hitherto a pacifist owing to compulsion of art 9 of its constitution n now seeking desperately a partner in south/east china seas), Aussies ,US to make security quadrilateral. He further appeals India to go for indian version of " Monroe doctrine" to increase n safeguard her sphere of influence. Midst all such development her naval n coastal power is central. Its opportune time to overhaul coastal security n orient it for all round devt. Wen china is at its peak of "cartographic aggression" India must be in full preparedness to thwart any hostile development in her waters. C. Rajamohan aptly puts world understands more "argument of power than power of arguments".