Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Scrap the shipping channel project

The author makes an interesting point. The whole rationale for the SSCP project sounds phoney. Transportation of freight from India's west coast to the east coast can be done much more efficiently using the rail and road routes. If existing infrastructure is deficient, then that should be strengthened.
International shipping to/from India can be directed to any of the numerous
ports on either coast. Where is the need for such shipping to navigate around
Sri Lanka, which problem this project purportedly alleviates?

The Eastern and Western fleets of the Indian Navy are positioned in the
Bay of Bengal and the Arabian sea; which positioning is aligned to current threat perceptions. The Indian Navy crushed Pakistan in the 1971 war despite having to fight on two fronts and the need to navigate around Sri Lanka.
National security is not the Dravidians' forte anyway.

Is this project expending Indian taxpayers' money to
A)facilitate maritime trade between West Pakistan and East Pakistan?
B)shortening the distance between Chinese listening posts
in West Pakistan and Burma?

Forget the issues pertaining to alignment, environment etc.
Why is the project required at all other than to enrich the chosen few
among the Dravidian neanderthals?

1 comment:

Wildcat said...

Even with the shipping channel in place, it is will be of doubtful strategic value. The heavy naval ships will be unable to use it. The few light boats which do, will have to do so very slowly on a predictable route - sitting ducks for air or missile attacks. The channel will have to be constantly patrolled for enemy activity.