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Navy has no plans to set up base outside India
The Indian Navy has no plans of setting up base anywhere in the world but if legitimate Indian interests are affected, the navy would be there to protect it, said Western Naval Command chief Vice-Admiral D K Joshi on Friday.
In the backdrop of Chinas concern over the presence of Indian public sector company ONGC Videsh Nigam Ltd operating with Vietnam in the South China Sea for oil exploration, he said, we would be there to protect them. Though India has entered into a commercial venture with Vietnam, we cannot offload our interests (in protecting) to a third country.
Joshi was speaking at a press conference on board the aircraft carrier, INS Viraat on the occasion of Navy Day celebrations. The highlight will be the 10th fleet review by President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on December 20 when the navys warshipsINS Viraat, destroyers, stealth frigates, torpedo boats, minesweepers as well as merchant ships will be anchored in a column formation for display.
Covering a whole gamut of roles that the Western Naval Command has been playing in recent years in ensuring coastal security, fighting piracy on the high seas, rescue operations and disaster management, he said there was rising pressure on anti-piracy operations with 27 naval ships being deployed in the Indian Ocean to provide safe message to merchant ships in the 490-mile long and 20-mile width international long corridor. Since 2008, 1,850 merchant ships have been safely escorted, 120 pirates apprehended and put in jail and 73 fishermen released. Now, the effort is not to bring in pirates to India. We dont want to unnecessarily crowd our jails.
With the Navys responsibility being enhanced following the 26/11 strike on Mumbai in 2008, he said, 36 coastal radars have been set up on the mainland and 10 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshwadeep. Additional radars are expected to come, he added. In the build-up of coastal security, he said primarily, the work revolved around downstream activities such as registration of fishing craft, issuance of ID cards, hardware provisions for marine police and so on. There is total synergy from all agencies and work is in progress.
And shedding light on the decommissioned INS Vikrant, which the government has been planning to convert the aircraft carrier into a heritage war museum, Joshi said that of the two bidders Sahara and Akrutiwho showed interest, the former withdrew. The latter however is looking for a Viability Gap Fund to the tune of Rs 5.50 billion which the government finds excessive. Sahara opted out after its intention to have helicopter operations from Vikrant was opposed by the navy as it would have been near our base.
Navy has no plans to set up base outside India | idrw.org
The Indian Navy has no plans of setting up base anywhere in the world but if legitimate Indian interests are affected, the navy would be there to protect it, said Western Naval Command chief Vice-Admiral D K Joshi on Friday.
In the backdrop of Chinas concern over the presence of Indian public sector company ONGC Videsh Nigam Ltd operating with Vietnam in the South China Sea for oil exploration, he said, we would be there to protect them. Though India has entered into a commercial venture with Vietnam, we cannot offload our interests (in protecting) to a third country.
Joshi was speaking at a press conference on board the aircraft carrier, INS Viraat on the occasion of Navy Day celebrations. The highlight will be the 10th fleet review by President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on December 20 when the navys warshipsINS Viraat, destroyers, stealth frigates, torpedo boats, minesweepers as well as merchant ships will be anchored in a column formation for display.
Covering a whole gamut of roles that the Western Naval Command has been playing in recent years in ensuring coastal security, fighting piracy on the high seas, rescue operations and disaster management, he said there was rising pressure on anti-piracy operations with 27 naval ships being deployed in the Indian Ocean to provide safe message to merchant ships in the 490-mile long and 20-mile width international long corridor. Since 2008, 1,850 merchant ships have been safely escorted, 120 pirates apprehended and put in jail and 73 fishermen released. Now, the effort is not to bring in pirates to India. We dont want to unnecessarily crowd our jails.
With the Navys responsibility being enhanced following the 26/11 strike on Mumbai in 2008, he said, 36 coastal radars have been set up on the mainland and 10 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshwadeep. Additional radars are expected to come, he added. In the build-up of coastal security, he said primarily, the work revolved around downstream activities such as registration of fishing craft, issuance of ID cards, hardware provisions for marine police and so on. There is total synergy from all agencies and work is in progress.
And shedding light on the decommissioned INS Vikrant, which the government has been planning to convert the aircraft carrier into a heritage war museum, Joshi said that of the two bidders Sahara and Akrutiwho showed interest, the former withdrew. The latter however is looking for a Viability Gap Fund to the tune of Rs 5.50 billion which the government finds excessive. Sahara opted out after its intention to have helicopter operations from Vikrant was opposed by the navy as it would have been near our base.
Navy has no plans to set up base outside India | idrw.org
