ABU DHABI: The rise of China is not a factor driving the Indian Navy's interest in safeguarding the sea lanes heading towards the Strait of Malacca, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Suresh Mehta said.

In an interview with The Hindu during his three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates, Admiral Mehta said: "We do not consider China as an adversary at any point of time. We would like to have cooperative relations with it as we do with other countries. In fact, in two months our ships would call on Chinese ports, and even conduct a preliminary exercise there."

China had not shown any "particular sensitivity" towards India's concerns about ensuring an uninterrupted flow of transit traffic towards the Strait of Malacca. After the tsunami when the Navy proved its ability to provide humanitarian relief beyond Indian shores "there might have been a perception in the United States that India could be involved in cooperative ventures which are regional in character," he said.

Asked whether India was being drawn into a U.S.-led alliance with Japan as a partner, Admiral Mehta said "the country's polity does not allow for participation in an alliance system."

Energy security

On "energy security," he said the Navy had a key role to play in ensuring the free flow of oil and gas from abroad. Protection of the country's growing offshore assets was also a top priority.

"There are three choke points that are of specific concern. These are the Bab Al Mandab [that links the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea], the area south of the Cape of Good Hope (Africa) and the Strait of Hormuz [Gulf]."

About the possible threat of closure to the Strait of Hormuz because of tensions surrounding Iran, he said "countries round the world needed to work together to make sure that the Strait of Hormuz was not blocked."

Nearly 90 per cent of oil exports from the Gulf pass through it.

The "primary area" of India's maritime interest ranged from the Gulf to the Antarctica.

It also covered the zone extending from the Cape of Good Hope and the east coast of Africa to the Strait of Malacca and the archipelagos of Malaysia and Indonesia.

Referring to India's off-shore energy assets and the Navy's role in safeguarding them, he said there were 30 process platforms and over 125 well platforms whose security was vital.

Besides, the Navy had to "look after" more than 3,000 km of pipeline on the seabed that carried oil and gas from the process platforms to terminals onshore.

Naval exercises

The Navy chief said he had chosen the UAE as his first overseas destination because "we look at the UAE as a neighbouring country with whom we wish to engage." The UAE personnel would now be able to avail themselves of some of the training courses in India. "Naval exercises would also begin in due course."

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