India menunjukkan kebolehan kekuatan lautnya dengan mengirim personil, kapal-kapal dan helicopter AL ke Sri Lanka untuk membantu mereka yang terkena musibah tsunami disana.
Ya, sea power adalah world power. Imperium Inggris ketika jaya-jayanya adalah kekuatan laut. Begitu pula imperium Soviet. Idem ditto Amerika, bahkan dulunya US Navy memegang matra udara, baru pada tahun 1940-an lahir US Air Force. Meskipun India miskin duwit, tapi Indian Navy bermatra udara-laut. Kalau kita jalan-jalan ke Goa, di sebelah bandara sipil ada pangkalan satuan udara Indian Navy: disitu kelihatan pesawat pengintai jarak jauh Ilyushin (atau Antonov?) dan campuran helicopter Mi (Mikoyan) dan Allouette. Di kawasan Samudra Pasifik, hanya India dan Australia yang punya blue water navy. Blue water navy artinya kapal perangnya mampu melayari samudra, bukan coastal waters saja. Ketika saya menghadiri acara Western Navy diatas kapal, saya lihat kapal korvet (frigates) yang ada helicopternya. Navy helicopter berfungsi mengawal armada dan dipersenjatai dengan sea-mines yang mampu melumpuhkan kapal selam lawan. Blue water navy tidak saja merajai permukaan laut, tapi juga bawah laut dengan kapal selam; baru-baru ini Indian Navy mencoba meluncurkan rudal jarak sedang dari kapal selamnya. Salam, RM ------------------------- India shows its sphere of influence to the world CHIDANAND RAJGHATTA TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 05, 2005 10:00:15 PM ] "The reason why India was approached to join the team of core nations was because it is a country with major capabilities. We have the largest navy in the Indian Ocean," Ambassador Sen acknowledged, adding, "There are good reasons why it is called the Indian Ocea...it has always been in the Indian sphere of influence." To get a measure of India's territorial expanse, Sen said western experts should try superimposing the map of Europe over that of India. It is often overlooked, even by Indians, that the distance from Delhi to Dushanbe in Central Asia is less than to many southern Indian cities, he said, recalling the vision of J.N.Dixit, India's National Security Advisor who died on Sunday. "Sad as it is, it took the tsunami to realize India's expanse," Sen said. "Even the British who drew our maps first have no idea of this now." President Bush, who has repeatedly credited New Delhi India with justifiable global power aspirations despite its myriad problems, virtually affirmed its credentials after his visit to the embassy. He even announced his intention to visit India this year. "I want to thank the Indian government for taking a lead in this issue. One of the first things that we did was to put together a core group of nations, nations that are capable of organizing relief efforts around the region, and the Indian government has been especially strong, as a part of this core group," Bush acknowledged. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. Fund a student project in NYC/NC today! http://us.click.yahoo.com/5F6XtA/.WnJAA/E2hLAA/BRUplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> *************************************************************************** Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny. www.ppi-india.uni.cc *************************************************************************** __________________________________________________________________________ Mohon Perhatian: 1. Harap tdk. memposting/reply yg menyinggung SARA (kecuali sbg otokritik) 2. Pesan yg akan direply harap dihapus, kecuali yg akan dikomentari. 3. Lihat arsip sebelumnya, www.ppi-india.da.ru; 4. Forum IT PPI-India: http://www.ppiindia.shyper.com/itforum/ 5. Satu email perhari: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 6. No-email/web only: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 7. kembali menerima email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
