The U.S. Navy is desperate for India's help in maintaining the ships: they are all forced by China
In order to win over India to deal with China, the United States is also desperate. According to the website of the US Naval Institute on the 14th, according to the joint statement issued by the United States and India during the G20 summit in New Delhi, India will become the US Navy's ship maintenance center in the Indo-Pacific region.
Good guys, the Indian Navy's own shipbuilding industry has not yet been fully understood, and this is beginning to provide critical maintenance for the US Navy - of course, the US side has made it very clear, "This is all forced by China."
In a joint statement released by US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the master agreement for ship maintenance signed in August between the US Navy and Mazagon Dockyard Ltd. was highlighted. This is the second agreement between the U.S. Navy and Indian shipyards this year, after the first agreement was reached between the U.S. Navy and India's L&T Group in June. The two shipyards are responsible for building the largest and most advanced warships of the Indian Navy, so they already have the technical foundation to maintain U.S. ships. The joint statement also "welcomes further commitments by U.S. industry to increase investment in India's aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities and facilities." ”
In 2017, two U.S. destroyers damaged in separate accidents were transported back to the U.S. mainland for repairs by semi-submersible vessels
As for why the US Navy is in a hurry to seek India's help in maintaining the ships? U.S. Navy ships currently in need of repairs in the Indo-Pacific have a limited number of shipyards available and are "within range of the PLA." Although there are other facilities in Hawaii and the continental United States, they are difficult to use for the maintenance of forward-deployed ships — and it is understandable that if U.S. warships go wrong in East Asia, they have to travel thousands of miles back to the mainland, which is really inexpensive in time and expense. Moreover, according to the wishful calculation of the US Navy, it must also be taken into account that if a large-scale conflict breaks out between China and the United States in Asia, it will be even more difficult for the damaged ships of the US Navy to return to the mainland across the ocean.
Therefore, the US Secretary of the Navy Carlos del Toro emphasized the use of shipyards in other countries in the region to solve the problem, and the US Navy was the first to find India. Discussions on using Indian shipyards to maintain ships for the U.S. Navy began last year, when the U.S.-India "2+2" ministerial dialogue in 2022 first announced the U.S.-India intention to visit Indian shipyards. This was followed by the U.S. Navy supply ship Charles Drew for maintenance at the L&T shipyard, marking the first time a U.S. ship has been maintained and repaired at an Indian shipyard. India's Defense Ministry said the mission opened a "new dimension of the India-U.S. strategic partnership." So far this year, two more U.S. Navy supply ships have been maintained at L&T's shipyard.
The frigate "Bettwa" that overturned during repairs at a bombay shipyard in 2016
Although the US side blows the capabilities of Indian shipyards very well, the old driver believes that the US Navy is actually "swollen and fat". The bizarre accidents such as fires, explosions, and capsizing in Indian shipyards in recent years are truly world-famous. For example, the Bombay Shipyard, a subsidiary of Mazagang Shipyard Co., Ltd., has successively had a weapon fire when the "Kilo" class submarine was loading weapons on the dock of the shipyard, resulting in damage and sinking of the submarine; The frigate "Betva" had a rollover accident while repairing it in the dock; The vicious accident in which the destroyer "Lanville" exploded during repairs, causing more than ten casualties, etc. Coupled with frequent delays in the construction of warships for their navy by Indian shipyards with limited technical capabilities, the difficulty and problems of maintaining unfamiliar American warships can be imagined.
The report mentioned that the US Navy is also studying the use of Japanese and South Korean shipyards to provide maintenance, compared with the latter two in the field of global leadership in shipbuilding, India's shipbuilding capacity is really far behind. In particular, most of the capital ships used in Japan and South Korea use American-made core equipment, so they are more worry-free when maintaining. However, the United States wants to put aside the "easy-to-use" Japan and South Korea and give priority to the maintenance of warships in Indian shipyards, and the intention behind this to "win over India" is too obvious. It's just that what consequences this "political command" approach will bring to the US Navy in the future, you may as well wait and see.
Further reading:
For occasions like the G20, it's more about sitting down and talking about economic development. For the United States, don't say anything useless. This way, not good!
Text | Sea passengers
For the first time in history, the G20 Summit was held in India.
U.S. President Joe Biden, who arrived in New Delhi, was busy holding meetings with his host, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After the meeting, while the G20 leaders' summit had not yet begun, they seized the time to hold a joint press conference of US and Indian leaders.
On the eve of India's G20, US President Joe Biden met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Photo: Times of India
It is not difficult to see that Biden patted his chest and promised to support India's membership in the permanent membership of the UN Security Council. But in the view of Xiaojiu, the United States is giving a hollow soup ball, and its real purpose has also been announced at the press conference, that is, to further deepen US-Indian relations...
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Deepening US-India relations, Biden is not just talking.
The news from the press conference is that the leaders of the United States and India welcomed the approval of the US Congress to cooperate with Hindustan Aeronautical to produce F414 engines in India;
The United States and India also announced a second ship repair agreement, in which India will maintain U.S. Navy ships in its own country;
The United States also welcomes the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B drones by the Indian Ministry of Defense to enhance India's intelligence gathering capabilities.
At the same time, the two countries will strengthen cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.
Of course, for India, it is natural that "the United States supports India's membership in the permanent membership of the United Nations."
Propaganda poster about G20 on the streets of India Photo: Global Network
So can India's aspiration to join the ranks of permanent members of the United Nations be achieved?
In Uncle Hai's view, the United States is giving India a hollow rice ball!
How do you say this?
Anyway, if you look at the G20 this time, are there two top leaders of important G20 members who are not present? Both countries also happen to be among the five permanent members of the United Nations. In other words, without the unanimous consent of the five permanent members, which country might join the ranks of permanent members?
Doesn't Biden understand that his own promises to Modi in this regard are not worth anything?
As for the Modi side, of course, he has his own considerations -
It is India's goal to join the ordinary state, and to this end, it even does not hesitate to hook up with Japan and support each other. In other words, India once hoped to join Japan in encouraging both countries to enter the normal.
However, this is all wishful thinking! Does the whole nation of Japan have a thorough and correct understanding of the war of aggression of that year? No, right? I can't even do this, what else is it?
As for India, at present, it is actually a step-by-step work. Modi understands that after he finishes the work of the United States, the work of China, Russia and France must be done, and the work of the former metropolis of Britain must be done. Anyway, I don't know when to do it is a head.
At this time, Modi got Biden's promise - with a promise, it is better than nothing.
MQ-9B UAV Figure: Data
But for the United States, which hopes to dominate the so-called "Indo-Pacific" strategy, it has been given the opportunity for military enterprises to develop in India, and it seems that there are more opportunities to use India to confront China and Russia in the future.
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Uncle Hai wants to say that after India's independence, on the whole, it is based on the idea of non-alignment, but it is actually more pro-Soviet. This is not only reflected in the fact that the Indian constitution claims to be a socialist country, but also in its in-depth cooperation with the Soviet Union in the military field and Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
India's "Vikramaditya" aircraft carrier, originally the Russian Kiev-class aircraft carrier "Admiral Gorshkov" Pictured: Chinese military network
In fact, India's conflict with Pakistan and Pakistan's warmer relationship with the United States forced India to make this choice.
For many years, India's weapon systems, whether navy or air force, have been a collection of weapons for all nations, but it is also a fact that many of the large ordnance and main weapons come from Russia.
Now, Biden wants to strengthen military cooperation between the United States and India, especially in the field of military production, and the United States will tilt towards India to a certain extent. However, in Uncle Hai's opinion, this is a bit wishful thinking. You know—
In the so-called "Indo-Pacific" strategy, India's "Indo-Pacific" strategy and the United States' "Indo-Pacific" strategy are inherently different.
India also believes that it is the "general" of the Indian Ocean, and also believes that the United States should respect India as a major power in the "Indo-Pacific" strategy. India does not want to be America's little brother.
The contradiction between India and Pakistan, if it is not eliminated one day, India will not be able to fall headlong into the arms of the United States. After all, Pakistan's long-standing relationship with the United States is something India fears.
India has its own great power thinking, which is evident in the recent G7 pressure on India and India unmoved.
On September 9, local time, New Delhi, India, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the leaders of G20 countries while waiting to greet them Photo: Global Network
The G7 encouraged India to invite Ukraine to participate in the G20 Leaders' Summit, and hoped that the outcome document of this G20 Leaders' Summit would be stuffed with content condemning Russia and supporting Ukraine.
But the Modi authorities were unmoved -
First, Modi did not invite Ukraine, which is not a member of the G20, to the meeting. This time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lost the opportunity to give a video speech at the G20 occasion.
Second, Modi seems to disagree with condemning Russia. As a result, there is no naming of Russia in the communiqué. This caused dissatisfaction on the Ukrainian side, which was not eligible to attend.
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India considers itself a big country, an ancient civilization with more history than the United States. How can such a country succumb to the arrogance of the United States from the bottom of its heart?
The United States has given India some favors in the field of military industry, and Modi will naturally laugh.
If the United States has promised India to welcome them, will India refuse them?
But the United States is trying to use these as bait to win India over to do something that India did not want to do, I am afraid it is thinking too much.
In fact, for occasions like the G20, it is more time to sit down and talk about economic development. For the United States, don't say anything useless. This way, not good!