India's first unified command maturing fast; Vice Admiral

Port Blair, Oct 09 (UNI) The Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), Vice Admiral Vijay Shankar today termed the experiment of tri-service unified command as a successful one which may lead to its replication elsewhere in the country.

Talking to media here a day after the 8th Raising Day of the India's first Unified Command, the Commander-in-Chief said that the formation of the unified command has been successful and satisfying, though the maturing will take its own time.

Over 60 such joint set ups, he said, are already functional all over the world.

Responding to the queries, the Vice-Admiral underlined the onerous task of the ANC to provide secure sea borders and help the people in a spirit of jointness in tandem with the civil administration.

Quoting Kautilya, the CINCAN said that the security and growth go hand in hand.

Environment of stability is a must for the overall development of the state, he added.

Terming the marine wealth as 'sea estate', he said that since 70 to 80 per cent of primary produce is available at sea, the policing role assumes even greater significance as it has resulted in diminished rate of piracy in the piracy prone Malacca Strait.

The decreased insurance premium for the Indian oil tankers corroborates the improved security environment in the region, he further stated.

Allaying fears of a Chinese build up at Coco Island, the Commander-in-Chief said that there was no cause any alarm. The situation, however, is under constant surveillance and appropriate action will be taken, if necessary.

Poaching and economic violations inside the Indian territorial waters will be dealt firmly, he asserted.

The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is the first integrated theatre command in India with headquarters at Port Blair. It operates directly under the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff.

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