After inspecting greater than 60 ships and submarines of the Navy, the Coast Guard and the Shipping Corporation of India as a part of the nation’s twelfth president’s fleet evaluation, President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday praised the Navy’s fixed vigil in defending the Indian Ocean area. He additionally mentioned India had grow to be a most well-liked safety associate within the area due to the Navy’s immediate and efficient deployment.
“A large part of global trade flows through the Indian Ocean region. A significant portion of our trade and energy needs is met through the oceans. The safety of the seas and the maritime commons, therefore, remains a critical requirement. The Indian Navy’s constant vigil and prompt response to incidents and untiring efforts have been highly successful in this regard.” mentioned the president, who’s the supreme commander of the armed forces.
He acknowledged that the “prompt and effective deployment of the Indian Navy in the times of crisis has underscored India’s vision of being the preferred security partner and first responder in the Indian Ocean region”. “I am pleased to review the readiness of the Indian naval ships, submarines, aircraft and other elements of our maritime power today. The excellent parade of ships, aircraft and submarines showcases the professional competence and determination of the maritime services of the nation. The parade also showcases the preparedness of the Indian Navy for any contingency,” he mentioned.
Underscoring the significance of Visakhapatnam, the place the fleet evaluation was held, Kovind mentioned that it continued to be an essential heart for trade and the economic system and that its “strategic significance is underlined by the truth that the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy is positioned right here”.
It made a “glorious contribution during the 1971 war”. India has lately celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. “I recall the heroic motion of the Eastern Naval Command within the naval blockade of the then East Pakistan and the sinking of Pakistan’s submarine Ghazi. That was a decisive blow to Pakistan. The 1971 conflict stays one of the crucial emphatic victories in our historical past.”
He mentioned the nation believed in Security and Growth For All within the Region (Sagar) “to focus on cooperative measures for sustainable use of oceans”.
On the Navy’s years-long push to make a big share of its vessels in India, Kovind mentioned the power was “becoming increasingly self-reliant and has been at the forefront” of the federal government’s Make in India initiative. “I am told that about 70 per cent of the contents of several warships and submarines under construction in various public and private shipyards across the country are indigenous. It is a matter of great pride that India has built nuclear submarines, and soon we will have our indigenously built aircraft carrier, Vikrant, joining the service.” “The development of indigenous naval shipbuilding capabilities is an impressive contribution (to the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative).”
The Navy additionally engages with numerous different navies of the world recurrently, he mentioned, as a part of bilateral and multilateral workouts. “The aim is to enhance interoperability, gain from best practices, develop common understanding and build mutual confidence to address maritime issues,” Kovind mentioned, and conveyed his needs for the upcoming multinational naval train, Milan 2022, during which greater than 35 navies from all over the world are anticipated to participate beginning later this week.
He mentioned “this is a moment of immense satisfaction for me” because the supreme commander.
The president’s fleet evaluation is carried out as soon as throughout each president’s tenure. The earlier one was held in 2016 beneath Pranab Mukherjee.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
