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"The Navy continues to maintain focus on
development of operational and technical infrastructure,
as the force levels increase," Indian Navy
chief Admiral Nirmal Verma told his commanders
at the concluding session of their five-day biannual
commanders conference here Oct 14.
"Discussions during the conference, lasting
over three days, focused on a range of issues
relevant to the Navy's preparedness and plans
to develop a definitive road map for the future.
The plans for the Navy's growing role in the Indian
Oceanregion were also discussed during the conference,"
a press release said.
The existing manpower 50,000 men and 8,000 officers
is expected to increase by at least 15 percent
to help operate the planned warship and other
platform acquisitions.
The Navy already has around 40 warships and battle
vessels on order with both Indian and foreign
shipyards, including an indigenous aircraft carrier,
Kolkata class destroyers, Shivalik class frigates,
Corvettes and Scorpene submarines, that will be
inducted in the next five years.
These apart, the Navy's infrastructure too will
increase with opening of a major naval base at
Karwar on the West coast, new forward naval bases,
operational turnaround bases and naval air enclaves
at Tuticorin, Kamarta, Diglipur, Campbell Bay,
Paradip and other coastal towns of the mainland
and island territories of Andaman and Nicobar
and Lakshadweep.
"The primary challenge confronting the Navy
was to balance its resources and building human
capital and a requisite strategy so as to be responsive
to the full spectrum of operations," Verma
said at the conference.
"The aviation arm of the Navy is set to
grow in the years ahead," he said, noting
that the induction of the 16 MiG-29K naval combat
aircraft for INS Vikramaditya (erstwhile Admiral
Gorshkov aircraft carrier) from Russia had already
started and the first flight of American major
Boeing's P8I maritime patrol aircraft, eight of
which were bought in 2009, taking place in September
this year.
The P8I is "on schedule" for its induction
in 2013, Admiral Verma added.
The Naval Chief said that progress had been made
in the last few months in the induction of ships
with contracts for five offshore patrol vessels,
two cadet training ships, eight amphibious landing
craft and fast interceptor craft being concluded.
He also highlighted the progress made in various
plans and programmes for the modernisation of
the navy and the initiatives and new schemes introduced
for the promotion and welfare of sailors and their
families.
The Navy has been performing its traditional
tasks and missions entrusted, which include overseas
deployments, intra-navy exercises, bilateral exercises
with friendly foreign countries and presence-cum-surveillance
missions in the Indian Ocean region, with a view
to discharge its role as the net security provider
in the maritime domain in its area of operation.
(IANS)
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