6 - Techno-Military Dimension of Asian Maritime Power

Summary

Asia has captured the transformational momentum in the techno-military dimension of maritime power with assent on information technology. Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) driven by information technology leading to military transformation is evident in the emerging order of battle of several Asian navies including China, India, Japan, Korea and Singapore. The other Asian navies are still technologically inferior and this deficiency is evident in the imageries of their naval orders of battle. Significantly, the new maritime/naval platforms being inducted by China, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are both technology-centric and technology-intensive and these navies are engaged in exploiting the benefits of the information revolution and developing their technological strengths. Among these countries, there is evidence of zestful desire and visible quest in China and India to achieve technological proficiency and translate the same into operational competence and for exercising strategic autonomy.

There are several causal factors that shape the ongoing RMA in China and India. First and foremost, great emphasis is being placed on the technomilitary dimension of maritime power that is considered vital for guarding the ocean frontiers. As noted earlier, ocean frontiers had remained vulnerable leading to subjugation by the colonial-imperial forces. Second, the objective is to build credible maritime military capability to dominate regional affairs and assemble significant maritime power to deter any challenger. Also of significance is the safety of maritime trade and securing the littoral hubs that form important nodes in the global supply chain. Third, industrial and technological development is considered critical for development of a military industrial complex to build and support a modern military force. Fourth, China and India are conscious of the fact that there exist several political, economic and technological constraints on importing technology and it is critical to develop an indigenous technological industrial base as well as train human resources for the full spectrum of civil-military applications. Fifth, the socio-cultural and behavioural factors have also been a driver for the growth of RMA in the two countries, particularly China. Last but not the least, there are civilizational factors that drive the RMA in China and India. Both Sun Tzu and Kautilya (also known as Chanakya) were great proponents and advocates of information. Their thoughts on information are reflected in the great classics Art of War (Bingfa) and Arthashastra (science of politics) and are evident in the RMA philosophy in China and India.