India-U.S. Collaboration on Underwater Domain Awareness
Context
Recently, India and the United States have announced the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA) initiative to enhance Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) in the Indo-Pacific.
Relevance:
GS-02 (International relations)
Background:
- It was initiated during the Indian Prime Minister’s recent visit to the U.S.
- It is a great step towards maritime security and technological collaboration between the two nations.
- Notably, India is the first country with whom the U.S. has agreed to cooperate on UDA technologies.
Understanding Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA)
- UDA is a strategic maritime concept that involves the use of technology, policies, and intelligence frameworks to monitor and manage underwater activities effectively.
- It integrates surveillance systems, data analysis, and industry participation to enhance security, economic interests, and environmental sustainability.
Strategic Importance of UDA for India
- Strengthening Maritime Security: Helps in tackling piracy, underwater threats, and potential security risks in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- Economic and Environmental Interests: Supports the blue economy by enabling resource exploration, fisheries management, and underwater infrastructure monitoring.
- Enhancing Regional Diplomacy: Strengthens India’s leadership in the Indo-Pacific through maritime cooperation and trust-building with regional partners.
Key Technologies in UDA
- Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs): Includes both Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) for deep-sea surveillance and exploration.
- India has developed indigenous UUVs like MAYA, AMOGH, and ADAMYA.
- Acoustic Surveillance Systems: Advanced sonar-based technologies for underwater monitoring.
- India’s Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has partnered with the U.S.’s Ultra Maritime for co-producing Multistatic Active (MSA) sonobuoys and with L3 Harris for active towed array sonar systems.
- Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR): Uses Bathymetric LIDAR with water-penetrating green light to map seafloor and underwater structures.
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