According to a recent report, INS Vikrant will strengthen the country’s standing as a ‘Blue Water Navy’ — a maritime force with global reach and capability to operate over deep seas.
What is a Blue Water Navy?
- Navies are classified in terms of colours: a navy whose operations are restricted close to the shore, where the water is muddy, is called a Brown Water Force. A navy that can go farther out is called a Green Water Force. And then there is a Blue Water Force.
- A Blue Water Navy is one that has the capacity to project itself over a much bigger maritime area than its maritime borders.
- Conceptually, it is a Navy that can go into the vast, deep oceans of the world.
- While most navies have the capacity to send ships into the deep oceans, a Blue Water Force is able to carry out operations far from its borders, without being required to return to its home port to refuel or re-stock.
- While it is evident that Blue Water navies belong to the most powerful nations, there is no one internationally agreed upon definition.
- Owning one or more aircraft carriers is sometimes seen as a marker.
- As the Indian Navy has the capacity to carry distant operations “at or from the sea, up to considerable distance from national shore bases”, it qualifies as a Blue Water Force.