navy day

Andalib Akhter / New Delhi

Indian Navy on Tuesday celebrated Navy Day with traditional splendour and promised the nation that the country’s marine borders are safe in its hand.

On the occasion, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa laid wreaths and paid homage at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, India Gate.

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have extended good wishes to all men and women of the Indian Navy on the occasion. The President said in a tweet that nation is proud of their commitment to protecting country’s maritime frontiers, securing trade routes and providing assistance in times of humanitarian emergencies.

The Prime Minister said, India is grateful to its Navy for protecting the nation and the commendable role it plays during disaster relief.

Later in the evening Admiral Sunil Lanba, PVSM, AVSM, ADC Chief of the Naval Staff, released a book titled ‘Blue Waters Ahoy!’ – chronicling the Indian Navy’s History from 2001-10.

The unveiling was a part of an At Home function held at the Navy House in the presence of the President of India Ramnath Kovind who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

A large number of dignitaries from both India and abroad were present at the function. The Indian Navy celebrates Navy Day every year on 04 December 2018 to commemorate its offensive actions during the 1971 war.

The book has been authored by Vice Admiral Anup Singh, who retired as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command in 2011. This is, in fact, the sixth volume of the Navy’s history; the first five having covered the period from 1945 to 2000. This unique undertaking by the Indian Navy can be traced back to 1968, when the Service established a History Cell. The idea was collation and subsequent analysis of historical data relevant to the evolution of the Navy. Generally, each such volume has covered the period of a decade, and it has been a tradition to release it on the occasion of Navy Day.

On Monday at the annual presser here chief of the Indian Navy staff Sunil Lanba announced that government has given approval for 56 ships and submarines besides the 32 warships under construction with view of strategic needs.
“The government has given approval to having 56 ships and submarines. Some of these will replace the existing fleet and include new ships like fleet ships, submarines and mine sweepers,” said navy chief.

According to the chief the construction plan would be spread across a decade. To a question on how was the Indian Navy compared to the strength of the Chinese Navy, the Naval chief declared that the Indian with Navy 200 ship, 500 aircraft will be world class Navy by the year 2050.
According to the chief “The 32 ships and submarines are presently under construction in Indian shipyards include the Aircraft Carrier, Vikrant, P-15B Class Destroyers, P17A class stealth Frigates, P28 ASW Corvettes, Offshore Patrol Vessels and `Scorpene’ class submarines.”
To a question of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC), the chief said that presently the IAC is in its third and final Phase of construction at Kochi and the sea trials for the ship are expected to commence mid 2020 and work is on full swing with all stake holders to achieve the delivery timelines.
The induction of INS Vikrant will provide significant fillip to the Navy’s blue water capability, increasing the reach and impact of carrier borne strike forces, both as a means of deterrence as well as during combat operations.
Responding to a question of the second aircraft carrier, “The IAC has received the necessary impetus. Though it is at least a decade away, the aircraft carrier project would accrue significant national gains in terms of boosting indigenisation and the country’s economy, through its life cycle of construction, maintenance and upgradation. “We are looking at ways and means to incorporate the immense potential of Academia, private industry and DRDO into the Project.”
Modernisation of the submarine arm is also well underway. The second “Scropene’’ Class submarine Khanderi has completed her major trials and is expected to be ready for commissioning shortly. The third and fourth submarines of this project namely Karanj and Vela are also undergoing various stages of pre-induction trials.
On the aviation front, a long standing critical shortfall in the naval helicopter fleet has been finally addressed with the accord of AoN for 111 Utility Helicopters under the Strategic Partnership Model in August this year and issue of LOR (Letter of Request) for 24 Multi Role Helicopters last month.
Since the deal is under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS), as per the procedure laid down, India has to send a `letter of request ‘giving details of what is the requirement of the Indian Navy and if the US can meet the request. The Indian Navy needs 24 of these fourth generation helicopters armed with torpedoes and missiles are used for anti-submarines warfare.