Rodger de Wit, commander of the frigate Zr.Ms. De Ruyter, dressed in spotless navy white, is just about to start his talk to the press when loud shouts are heard. De Wit stops abruptly. Another officer looks disturbed over the railing. Ah, the oil supply! From a flat boat with green tubes, followed by a large pool of oil, several Indian sailors gesture busily upwards. The visiting Dutch frigate must cast off immediately so that they can begin their work.
After the interrupted start, De Wit still starts his talk. The approximately ten Indian journalists, including reporters and photographers, are then allowed to fire their questions at the Dutch commander. Does the tense geopolitical situation in the world have anything to do with the frigate’s arrival at the major naval port of Kochi in the deep south of India? What can his ship do? And: have the commander and his men already visited one of the many places that commemorate the trading post that the Netherlands once had in Kochi (also known as Cochin), from 1663 to 1795?
The commander can answer the last question in the affirmative (“Yes, we saw, among other things, the Dutch cemetery”) and he carefully addresses the other issues. Sweat is now beading on his forehead. The temperature fluctuates around 32 degrees, the humidity is about 80 percent. Instructions that blare through all speakers across the ship do not make communication easier: “From now on, there is a general smoking ban on the entire ship due to unloading oil.”
The frigate Zr.Ms. De Ruyter in the port of Kochi, South India.
FoTO Ministry of Defense
In itself, the four-day visit to the naval port – the De Ruyter is located in a remote part – is independent of the tensions in the world, explains Commander De Wit. But indeed, international uncertainties make the visit, which takes place every two years to an Indian port – last time HNLMS. Trump attacked Mumbai – definitely more urgent this time. When De Wit and his men emerged from the Red Sea and turned east towards the Arabian Sea, he says, “our radars and anti-aircraft systems were put on high alert.”
A short time earlier, Iranian drones and missiles had landed in Saudi Arabia. And if the plans to maintain a truce in the Strait of Hormuz had gone ahead, his ship would have been the first to participate on behalf of the Netherlands. The frigate is specialized in air defense.
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During their meetings this week, Dutch and Indian naval officers exchanged their experiences in the area. The Dutch Deputy Commander of the Naval Forces had also come over for this purpose. India is very active in escorting Indian tankers in and near the Strait of Hormuz. Both sides have also stressed to each other the great importance of freedom of passage on the international seas. “It helps if you stand for the same values,” says De Wit.
As an ode to freedom in general, Dutch and Indian officers paid a joint visit to the monument for deceased crew members of the Indian navy and naval fleet, elsewhere in the city. “That was nice.”
We will sail through areas that the Chinese falsely claim as their own
The Indians had shown interest in continuing De Ruyter’s four-month journey. This goes through the narrow Strait of Malacca – another sensitive area – towards the South China Sea. De Wit: “We will sail through areas that the Chinese wrongly claim as theirs.” Other western ships did that before; China responded mostly with diplomatic grumbling.
Then it’s time for one-on-one questions with the commander. NRC wants to know, among other things, how far cooperation with the Indians has progressed in practice. In just over a week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come to the Netherlands. On May 16, the plan is, he will sign a strategic partnership with Prime Minister Rob Jetten. This is a broad treaty on technological cooperation, which is also about increasing security in the world. More cooperation between the navies of both countries is appropriate.
Somali piracy in 2008
However, this is still in its infancy, as is evident from De Wit’s answers. For example, the Dutch will not share what they see in the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea with the Indians. After all, there is no intelligence relationship such as that between NATO partners.
There is also insufficient cooperation experience on which to build. “We really have to start with the simplest things,” says the frigate commander. The most famous experience dates back to 2008, when the Indian frigate INS Tabar sent a boat with Somali pirates to the seabed. A Dutch naval vessel then took part in this joint action, which was later credited with having largely stopped Somali piracy.
Meetings between Indian and Dutch crew members were organized around the visit of the Dutch frigate to Kochi.
Photo Ministry of Defense
“The goal at the time was very recognizable and topical,” says De Wit, “namely to protect the freedom of trade routes.” But the situation was really different then. “We had a very loosely organized partnership.” Much more is needed to turn it into something stronger and more durable. “For example, this week we looked at the differences between our training. And we are going to do something together with an Indian frigate: maneuver together. It is a very small starting step.”
It remains to be seen whether the strategic pact will increase the frequency of these types of learning moments. The small Dutch navy of six frigates (the Indian one has fourteen) receives many requests, especially from NATO. De Wit: “For the time being, these visits remain once every two years, as far as I know.” However, there are regular exercises in a broader, multinational context.
Heard little news
“Well, that will be a small news item,” says EV Sreekumar, associated with the Manorama Dailya major newspaper in the region, when leaving the De Ruyter. He has heard little news, compared to the numerous visits to Kochi by naval vessels of other nations. “No idea,” the Indian journalist had previously replied, bursting with laughter, when asked why he had come to the Dutch naval ship. “My bosses in Delhi had to do it.”
The national one Times of India releases a small message on its Kochi page on Wednesday, complete with photo of the commander. “The Dutch naval ship De Ruyter is in Kochi, highlighting the growing friendship between India and the Netherlands in the field of maritime security.” And a little further: “The commander said that the crew had noticed the influence of Dutch architecture on the houses.”
On May 4, Indian and Dutch naval officers visited the monument for deceased Indian crew members and sailors.
Photo Ministry of Defense
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