The Ministry of Defence has informed Parliament that global warming and climate change are affecting military operations and planning for future defence systems.
Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, said that climate change creates challenges for defence equipment and personnel operating in harsh weather. Therefore, weather conditions are carefully studied before every mission to understand their effect on ships, aircraft, submarines and personnel.
He explained that planning at all levels: strategic, operational, and tactical- includes analysis of weather, ocean, and land conditions. New defence platforms are also being designed to perform well even in difficult weather. Soldiers receive proper training and equipment to work in all weather conditions.
Experts say that climate change is reducing snow cover in mountains affecting troop movements and availability of land routes, especially along the Line of Control with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control with China.
Climate change has also increased natural disasters. To handle such situations the Indian Navy is getting platforms that can help with humanitarian and disaster relief missions. These include hospital ships, special landing docks, surveillance drones, helicopters for rescue and long-range aircraft.
These relief missions are carried out in coordination with national agencies to ensure quick response both in India and the Indian Ocean Region including help for friendly foreign nations.
The Indian Navy has created a Maritime Capability Perspective Plan that takes into account the impact of climate change. A special committee regularly meets to monitor issues related to global warming and rising sea levels especially in the Indian Ocean Region.
The Navy is also focusing on protecting its infrastructure particularly in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where most areas are less than five meters above sea level. The Indian Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Organisation has gathered data on cyclones and tsunamis to prepare better.
To protect coastlines, the Navy is working on mangrove restoration. Mangrove plantations have been done in areas near naval bases such as INS Venduruthy, INS Kadamba, INS Valsura, INS Sardar Patel, INS Zamorin, INS Hamla, INS Abhimanyu, INS Tunir, and the Forward Operating Base in Tuticorin. Where mangroves can’t survive other coastal afforestation drives are being carried out to stop beach and sand erosion.
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