Network of Networks: Challenging the Chinese Century
The world at present is reeling under the deadly Coronavirus(COVID-19), which has led to an imbalance in the fiscal markets, inevitably overthrowing the world economics and tarnishing the heath care facilities to an absolute mayhem. China was the first to be infected by this deadly virus, and rather than informing the rest of the countries, it silently let this deadly virus spread like wildfire all across the globe. This virus has caused several deaths and the spread of this virus only seems to grow, despite all precautions. Parallel to this, China’s aggressiveness is beyond bounds, and has, freely in the most belligerent manner, been acquiring and forcefully land grabbing territories of other countries. It has increased its defence expenditure, which has been possible as China was the world manufacturing hub and all the money that China made as a manufacturing hub is now being used to gain military might against those very countries that were once called their ‘friends, neighbours and shared comprehensive partnerships’.
China’s rise was indeed alarming in 2000s, but little did most countries know that this Chinese rise would one day become ‘Chinese aggressiveness cum expansionist and would come back to biting everyone at the same time’. China’s ambitious infrastructural projects as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was seen to be a model of economic growth with sustainability and employment but sadly, it has become a mechanism of ‘debt trap diplomacy’ for countries who once thought China was their messiah and a friend in need. Chinese weapon of bullying and arm-twisting smaller countries is a phenomenon not new to most, but the recent entries to this bullying and irking attitude by China has angered the Unites States as well. The extensive building of artificial islands, stocking up of military bases with supplies to last multiple wars and brutally attacking soldiers with weapons has only made the world think, has it inevitably given the way for the Chinese century. The answer is a no.
After the Cold War, the world had a new leader, that is, the United States. America was a supreme power and most emulated it, but none had the ability and wherewithal to be what the US was and still is. America with due respect didn’t fall to the level that China has fallen at the moment. China has dreamt about being a great power an unhealthy aspiration to outdo the US, so it very systematically wove a strategic game plan of trust, friendship and comprehensive partnership. Once all these countries relied on China, it struck the hot metal of aggressiveness, expansionism and now the bioweapon Coronavirus. China has indeed fallen to a level; it can never ever be trusted again and nor will any country ever depend on China. This has indeed let China alone like the lone terrorist attacks which are increasing. China could easily become world number one, but the lengths it could go to for it is something unbelievable. China is an ancient civilisation, and civilizational history has evidences of great wars, tactics and strategies, but with all of this, comes a great burden of power and responsibility. China may think that it has power, but the question arises can power be the only means of being world number one? ‘With great power comes great responsibility’, which China has failed to understand, thus failing to be responsible player in the world. It has also failed its people today, as due to rash decisions by the Chinese leaders and the political party, the world looks down on China. As the world boycotts Chinese goods, soon China would also face an economic slump, as most countries are moving their manufacturing bases to other countries. This has given way to a strong Anti-China sentiment across the world, and has, therefore, led to multiple groupings in order to split wide open China’s dream of having a Chinese century! Keeping this in mind, this article paves out the multiple networks which are under construction and are making the world look for a ‘network of networks’[1] where like-minded countries facing the Chinese aggression and sick of its behaviour are coming together to counter China and are also looking for futuristic anti-China networks.
Cable Network
The cable network is one of the most sought after digital connectivity linkages in the present scenario. Chinese expansionism has been on a rise and the international waters have been a major target for Chinese aggression. China believes in order to have access to the sea lanes and routes of communication, it has to completely control these waters. The global scenario is in a position that everyone wants a part of the maritime routes, but no country is aggressive and nor has any country been illegally building artificial islands like China is doing. So, keeping this Chinese maritime aggression in mind, the other global players are finding ways to counter China.
On 10th August 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a massive push to Delhi’s Indian Ocean Policy and Indo-Pacific vision. This massive push was in the form of a 2,312 km long submarine optic fibre linking Chennai and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, this supposedly being a major strategic outreach by India in order to counter China. The project is also supposed to boost tourism and make it a completely digital connectivity zone. This project is also supposed to generate employment, help in the connectivity from mainland India, and also help in telecommunication and telemedicine. This project is also essential because the Indian Ocean which has been the centre crossroad for trade and strategic powers for centuries, and this, India’s Indo-Pacific strategy, and the importance of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands also plays an essential part in the Act East Policy, which would also help connect with not only the Southeast Asians but with Japan, which would further be linked to the Bay of Bengal, inevitably creating another point for cable network in this region. It is important to understand that this move by India is very timely, as Chinese aggression is at an all high and the region of Indian Ocean is making India play the role of a traditional net security provider, since India regularly holds joint naval exercises with foreign navies and the most recent ones have been with Russia and Japan. India regularly participants in the Malabar exercises with the United States and Japan as part of the JAI and QUAD groupings. India also holds trilateral naval exercises and it was seen that India-Thailand-Singapore trilateral naval exercise near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Andaman and Nicobar Island is also called the permanent aircraft carrier as a point of outreach with neighbouring maritime countries like Indonesia. It has been said that this place is of great maritime logistics value followed by a proposal to construct a Trans-Shipment Port in Greater Nicobar and also aim for the modernisation of infrastructure.[2]
Apart from this, Orient Link (OLL) and NEC Corp (NEC) have signed an agreement to be able to build the MIST Cable System (MIST), which would directly connect with Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and India-In Mumbai and Chennai and have aimed to construct an 8,100 km optical submarine cable expected to be completed by 2022. This project is essential keeping in mind that Asia is already going through a digital makeover along with investment driven intentions, as this region is going to become epicentre of data generation with increased demands for mobiles, 5G services and business expansion of digital platforms like SNS, e-commerce and cloud services for enterprising purposes. Therefore, all these improvements are made in order to keep increasing the amount of data traffic across submarine cables, which would also help the greater network of communication from Asia to other parts and connectivity options would only grow especially in the maritime sector and could also connect to the Bay of Bengal.[3]
India is also a maritime nation and India has been actively promoting its neighbourhood first policy and Security and Growth for all in the region (SAGAR) and on 12th March 2015, Prime Minister Modi had first taken the reference to SAGAR and spoke about respect in international maritime rules and norms by all countries along with maintaining peaceful resolution of maritime issues and increase cooperation in the realm of maritime.[4]
Apart from this, the strategic importance of this cable network has indeed brought in many investments from Japan. It is important to understand that both the US and Japan would like to have partial control on these islands as:
First, they would help counter China in the Indian Ocean Region which is already the hotbed of maritime control and bulk of all the resources pass through this region.
Second, the US has been involved in the Okinawa and Yokohama port and would also like to have some control over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Japan has a historical linkage with the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Japan could try to have a second-strike base which makes Andaman and Nicobar Islands a vital point. Also, Japan would like to develop the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as India and Japan have been actively building on military ties and would like to have some access to these islands to help set up monitoring equipment along with military logistics which would make Andaman and Nicobar Islands a guarded fortress as it is cut off from the mainland and keeping tab by China from these islands would be possible which in turn would give India a major strategic headway.
Third, it is important to understand that China has been able to make artificial islands in the South China Sea and India could take que from here and develop the smaller islands among the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to form a cluster of strategic islands, which could be further enhanced into a maritime security hub. These strings could be attached to Rameswaram and further taken to Lakshadweep Islands, which could also be developed as a maritime security hub, but since these islands are coral based, it is bound to face environmental issues and that needs to be dealt with.
Fourth, if Kakinada, Kochi and Vishakhapatnam are further developed they can act as coastal chains and can be connected to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep Islands. It is important to think that if we need to counter China in the Indian Ocean, the former having recently built an artificial island near Maldives, we have to take the tit for tat attitude and try and create a string of islands around the countries that China has been using as a tool against India.
Fifth, Japan is emerging as the hub in submarine cable networks and has recently planned a massive 24,000km trans-Pacific system intended to link Asia and Latin America, and these new subsea cable systems are supposed to receive loans or investments funds which are channelled through the public-private partnership funds like the Japan ICT Fund (JICT), system suppliers like NEC, cable investors like NTT Communications and KDDI which makes Japan the hub for cable networks. Also, NEC is one of the world’s big three subsea cable systems suppliers along with France Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) and the US-based Subcom.[5] If Japan wants, then it can collaborate with France and the US in the field, which could also eventually pave the way for a cable network from Germany to France to Israel to Egypt to Djibouti to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in which way it could also be a shorter route for trade and could also be built as a counter route against China.
Logistics Network
On 4th June 2020, India and Australia signed the Arrangement concerning Mutual Logistics Support (MLSA) to increase the military inter-operability through defence exercises between India and Australia. Through this, both the countries get access into each other’s military bases for mutual logistics support. A joint declaration on a Shared Vision for Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was also announced, and this actually changes the dynamics. Slowly but steadily, Australia is coming into the realm of QUAD and India is supported to hold naval exercises and Australia might also attend it.
Also, India and Japan signed the logistics agreement and this would allow the armed forces of both the countries to coordinate closely in services and supplies calling this agreement as the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA). This agreement is aimed at greater cooperation in the maritime sector, and with this, India and Japan can upgrade their naval exercises and share the maritime facilities for mutual benefit. They also enabled the framework for closer cooperation between the armed forces among India and Japan and in reciprocal provision of supplies and services and would also be engaged in bilateral training activities, United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, Humanitarian International Relief and other mutually agreed activities. The also agreed upon the enhancement of interoperability, assistance in maintaining regional security and also further increase the bilateral defence engagements between both the nations. This agreement comes in after the first-ever ministerial level 2+2 dialogue which took place between Defence and Foreign Ministers and endorsed the special strategic partnership in the rules-based Indo-Pacific and work to organise a series of bilateral exercises like JIMEX (naval exercise), SHINYUU Maitri (air force exercise) and Dharma Guardian (military exercise). In December 2018, they set up an Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) by India.
India and the United States signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) can be called a fine-tuned version of the Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) leading to the sharing of military logistics between the two countries. This agreement would help in the refuelling and berthing facilities for each other’s aircrafts and warships on are reimbursable bases. They also worked on the basic ground work and promote interoperability between militaries and guide and sale of high-end technologies. This agreement also gives us the opportunity for port calls, joint exercises, training and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
It is important to know that the QUAD is forming a logistics network and it is also important to know that India has very good relations with Vietnam and South Korea, and South Korea also has a kind of logistics agreement with India, and all these are the new members in the QUAD as QUAD plus. This logistics network would actually be a counter against China which would inevitably form a string of logistics alignment.
Military Communication Encrypted Software Network
India and Australia signed a 4 year 12.7 million dollars Framework Arrangement on Cyber and Cyber-Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation, which would help deal with critical technology opportunities and would also deal with the cyber security challenges. A research and development fund would also be developed to work on cyber resilience, and this could further work on the military communication encrypted software. Also, the Implementing Arrangement concerning cooperation in Defence Science and Technology to the MoU on Defence Cooperation was also signed and was done to assess and address potential risks associated with virtual assets and new financial technologies. India and Japan have also worked in the framework for information sharing and conducting the joint maritime exercises where they also exchange shipping information. They have also taken security measures for the protection of classified military information. India has also signed a path breaking agreement with the United States of America, which would allow the Indian defence forces to receive military-grade communications equipment, and that would help ensure access to real-time encrypted information. This Communication Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) would help India maintain the critical defence technologies from America and that would help gain the critical communication network of the US armed forces. This would also help give the US the permission to install high-security US communication equipment on defence platforms. As per the COMCASA, it would also pave the way for a legal platform for defence technology transfer from the US to India and that would help acquire critical platforms like the Sea Guardian drones from America.
The need to create a military communication encrypted network is needed, as it will help protect vital defence data and information sharing among the QUAD nations would be easy, and since China is constantly trying to wage cyber wars, which is a cause of national concern as it can also activate high value assets and steal information in crucial times, which would gravely affect these nations. Therefore, the need for a military communication encrypted software network is the need of the hour.
Satellite Network
The United States of America established the Space Force and Japan launched the new Space Operations Squadron and these two allies have given importance to outer space as they have its key roles in the domain of information technology, military strategy and economy. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) H-IIA satellite launch vehicle has successfully lofted an electro-optical intelligence gathering satellite (IGS). Also, India and Japan have been expanding in the front of the joint lunar mission known as the Lunar Polar Exploration and is being done under Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and this will be launched in 2030.Also, the Australian Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency(JAXA) have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) signalling new opportunities to increase space collaboration between the two nations.
The real question is, why is there a sudden urge in this field of satellite and space? It’s because China has been taking measures to develop a Space Silk Road, and by this, it is expanding its global space network. Apart from this China has been developing anti-satellite weapons, and this is central to modern warfare. China has been strengthening its capabilities with kinetic-kill missiles, ground-based lasers, orbiting space robots and space surveillance so that they can monitor objects across the globe and in space. China’s militarisation of the space is done through Electronic weapons like satellite jammers, cyber capabilities and directed-energy weapons. In order to counter China, India can be a pioneer here, as India successfully conducted Mission Shakti and reached an altitude of 300km. It was found that ASAT test had failed. Microsat-R was similar in mass to the FY-1C satellite destroyed by China in January 2007 and it was also found that the Microsat-R was at much lower altitude when destroyed at 300km and 800km for the FY-1C. If it is developed, then India might be able to counter China. India also specialises in low launching costs of 3 million and world over, the launching cost is 60 million at a much lower cost, and that is something India can bank on and bring the Quad nations and some European nations by becoming a space ecosystem. Therefore, in order to counter China in the space, there is a need to develop a satellite network in accordance with Quad members and other partners.
These aspects would define the power tussle between Quad and the China. The newer domains of power struggle would also mean new latent architectures and new forms of data generation. The next balance of power would be seen in the context of how nations subscribe to new data analytics and which are the preferred modes and gateways in cyber, space and data logistics.
Pic Courtesy-John Barkiple at unsplash.com
{The author is working as Research Assistant with Centre for Land Warfare Studies(CLAWS). The views expressed are personal.}
[1] The article wouldn’t be complete without the thought-provoking ideas and brainstorming with Dr Pankaj K Jha. Dr Jha has been instrumental in helping me develop a strategic framework for this article.
[2] Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury. “Cable linking Andamans strengthens India’s strategic outreach to Indo-Pacific” published by Economic Times dated 11th August 2020. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/et-analysis-cable-linking-andamans-strengthens-indias-strategic-outreach-to-indo pacific/articleshow/77475309.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst Accessed on 11 September 2020.
[3] “Orient Link, NEC to build cable system connecting connect Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and India” published by Japan Today dated August 25, 2020. https://japantoday.com/category/tech/orient-link-nec-to-build-the-mist-cable-system-connecting-connect-singapore-malaysia-myanmar-thailand-and-india
Accessed on 11 September 2020.
[4] Dhruva Jaishankar. "Indian Ocean region: A pivot for India's growth". Brookings dated 12th September 2016. https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/indian-ocean-region-a-pivot-for-indias-growth/ Accessed on 11 September 2020.
[5] Robert Clark. Japan Government to Help Fund Subsea Cable Projects to Counter China published by Lightreading.com dated 2 July 2017. https://www.lightreading.com/asia/japan-government-to-help-fund-subsea-cable-projects-to-counter-china/d/d-id/757362 Accessed on 11 September 2020.
