<\/p>\n
Article published on the IIRF website on 03 Sep 25.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As India has emerged as a rising maritime power in the Indo-Pacific, the Indian Navy needs to protect its vast sea interests from advanced threats, with China being a significant threat with highly advanced anti-access\/area-denial (A2\/AD) capabilities. Rising long-range precision missiles, advanced sensors, and cyber warfare erode the traditional naval formation. Therefore, it is necessary to learn new concepts. The U.S. Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) approach offers a model for India to enhance its maritime strike capability, operational flexibility, and survivability in contested areas, such as the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It is prudent to consider the principles of DMO, their applicability to India’s maritime environment, operational shift, technological enablers, challenges, and strategic implications, and how India can leverage DMO to advance its interests and increase its maritime influence.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Strategic Environment for India<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n India’s oceanic space is vital to its economic and security requirements, with 90% of its volumetric trade and 70% of its value trade transiting the IOR. The region contains key chokepoints such as the Malacca Strait, critical for world trade but susceptible to A2\/AD measures by competitors, who have increased their naval presence by way of bases in Djibouti and Gwadar. China’s reconnaissance-strike complex, including anti-ship ballistic missiles such as the DF-21D, over-the-horizon radars, and space-based surveillance, challenges India’s power projection and freedom of navigation.<\/span><\/p>\n Initiated by the U.S. Navy in 2015, DMO offers a template for India to respond to these challenges. By distributing naval forces, linking them in strong networks, and creating flexible command arrangements, DMO conforms to India’s requirement for a flexible, resilient navy able to manoeuvre in contested seas. DMO is consistent with India’s maritime doctrine, which is centred on sea control, power projection, and regional cooperation through ventures such as SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Core Principles of DMO & Relevance for India<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Dispersion with Networked Integration<\/u>. Dispersal of naval resources across the IOR lowers the chances of detection. India’s warships, including aircraft carriers such as INS Vikrant, destroyers, and frigates, can patrol vast geographies and stay networked with secure C4ISR systems. This facilitates synchronised attacks and situational awareness, imperative in contested regions such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.<\/span><\/p>\n Decentralised Command and Control (C2)<\/u>. DMO prioritises mission command, enabling naval commanders to take quick tactical judgments, crucial for swift responses in evolving situations, e.g., prospective conflicts in the South China Sea or Arabian Sea. This decentralisation helps India better exploit the rapidly changing opportunities with its larger opponents.<\/span><\/p>\n Lethality in Distribution<\/u>. India’s increasing inventory of long-range weapons, including BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, can be plugged into DMO’s “kill webs,” enabling distributed forces to deliver coordinated attacks. This is debilitating without centralising troops, which is essential to counter enemy anti-ship missiles.<\/span><\/p>\n Operational Resilience<\/u>. By spreading capability across manned and unmanned systems, India can take losses without paralysing operations. Continuity is ensured through backup systems, essential for sustained operations in prolonged conflicts.<\/span><\/p>\n Integration of Unmanned Systems<\/u>. Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs), unmanned surface ships (USVs), and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) can add to India’s sensor and strike capabilities. Initiatives such as the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) development of unmanned systems fall within the ambit of DMO’s focus on autonomous platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n All-Domain Synergy<\/u>. DMO’s multi-domain approach bridges India’s naval operations with air, space, cyber, and land resources. Integrating with the Indian Air Force and Indian Army, and space assets, enhances collaborative operations and conforms to India’s transition towards tri-service integration.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Operational Framework for India<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Historically, India’s maritime operations have been focused on carrier battle groups, such as those commanded by INS Vikramaditya. DMO alters the focus to a networked fleet system, with destroyers, frigates, submarines, and drones operating as nodes in the IOR. For instance, a DMO context could be a destroyer off the Arabian Sea coast, a P-8I Poseidon flying over the Bay of Bengal, and unmanned platforms off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, all communicating in real-time to synchronise a missile attack on an enemy fleet.<\/span><\/p>\n India’s Andaman and Nicobar Command, which is a tri-service command, and similar structure on the western islands, can serve as a hub for DMO, like the U.S. Marine Corps’ Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). Islands with forward bases can accommodate sensors, anti-ship missiles, and logistics, advancing India’s presence in contested seas and depriving enemies of sea control. This multi-layered approach makes the enemy fight from all sides, increasing India’s strategic depth.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Technological Enablers<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n DMO implementation is based on leveraging and building the most important technologies:-<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Implementation Strategies<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n To achieve DMO, the Indian Navy can focus on:-<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Challenges<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Implementing DMO poses a number of challenges for India:-<\/span><\/p>\n Communications Resilience<\/u>. Enemy cyber and electronic warfare capabilities pose a threat to network stability. India needs to create backup, secure C2 systems for sustaining connectivity under hostile conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n Sustainment Logistics<\/u>. Resupplying scattered forces over the long and wide IOR calls for creative logistics, e.g., resupply ships autonomously or pre-positioning stock at locations such as Lakshadweep.<\/span><\/p>\n Technological Deficits<\/u>. India needs to induce critical technologies in its defence production ecosystem. Urgent acceleration of indigenous development and cooperation with international partners is needed.<\/span><\/p>\n Resource Limitations<\/u>. Limited budgets and other priority defence requirements could stall investments in new platforms, weapons, and networks.<\/span><\/p>\n Institutional Adjustment<\/u>. The move to decentralised command schemes would necessitate significant training and institutional transformation.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Strategic Implications<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) framework greatly enhances India’s Indo-Pacific strategic interests by strengthening deterrence against Anti-Access\/Area Denial (A2\/AD) approaches. DMO’s enduring and lethal operational reach demonstrates power in the face of A2\/AD threats, thus complementing India’s deterrence posture and communicating its capability to counter aggression effectively. In addition, the DMO’s flexible architecture aligns with India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) policy, fostering maritime security cooperation with countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Through the dominance of key trade routes and chokepoints, DMO also protects India’s economic interests by facilitating an uninterrupted supply chain in the IOR and enhancing regional stability.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Future Outlook<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n As India develops its technological prowess, DMO can be enhanced to incorporate AI-powered battle management, autonomous swarming strategies, and space-based sensors. Friendly countries’ collaborative efforts in the mutual development of unmanned systems can speed DMO adoption. Activities such as MILAN exercise and bilateral patrols in the IOR can be used to experiment with DMO ideas, enhancing tactics and coordination. DMO could redefine India’s naval force structure in the long run, with a focus on networked, nimble platforms, aligned with global naval warfare trends.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Conclusion<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Distributed Maritime Operations give India a new way to counter A2\/AD threats and exercise maritime dominance in the Indo-Pacific. By dispersing forces, drawing on network integration, and building dynamic command structures, India can increase its naval survival and effectiveness against sophisticated opponents such as China. Though aspects related to communication resilience, logistics, and technology gaps would challenge the implementation of DMO, it nevertheless serves India’s strategic interests and overall vision for the Indo-Pacific. The Indian Navy can leverage DMO to protect its maritime interests and shape the direction of maritime warfare in a contested space by implementing doctrinal changes and promoting regional cooperation.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Please Add Value to the write-up with your views on the subject.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n