Indian Navy transforming as a Blue Water Navy: Vice Admiral

Mumbai, Nov 30 (UNI) Vice Admiral Sangram Singh Byce, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief(FOC), Western Naval Command said importance of the Indian Navy is growing across the Indian ocean in the last few years due to a spate of sudden strategic shifts in geo-political situations across the world and particularly in neigbouring areas.

Talking to reporters on the occasion of the ongoing Naval week, onboard aircraft carrier Indian Naval Ship(INS) Viraat, the vice admiral said strategic importance is transforming the role of the Indian Navy as a 'Blue Water Navy' in the Indian Ocean, thereby giving it an upper hand in the Asian waters.

However, he said with all the growth and prowness, the Navy with greater vigilance and action is battling the prospects of terror, drugs smuggling, rising sea piracy threats, weapons of mass destruction threats and a host of other ills at a break neck speed to protect maritime boundaries and national interests.

With a large coastline of 7,516 km and an ever increasing sea traffic due to liberalisation, annually 60,000 ships cut across the Indian waters, hence the task of the Indian Navy has increased into multi tasking of maritime protection and safe guarding of national assets, asserted Byce.

The Vice Admiral said that as a result of globalisation and the increasing threat of terrorism, the Navy, in the last few years, is undertaking joint exercises with neigbouring countries and other technologically advanced Navies of the world for better inter- operability. These excercises are being regularly undertaken for greater operational understanding to contest global sea threats, he said.

In addition, the Indian Army, Airforce and Navy including the Coast Guards also hold regular joint excercises to strengthen aspects of trilateral operations and war readiness, Byce said.

He said the Western fleet of the Navy will gradually shift to nearby Karwar shores to de-congest the sea lanes around the Mumbai harbour and added that the in the coming years, the Navy will acquire new ships and aircraft carriers to augment its rising needs.

On inducting the Trishul missiles, he said the armed forces and particularly the Navy would prefer indigenous weaponry over imported ones, however, the decision to induct Trishul missiles will depend on the outcome of Defence Research&Development Organisation (DRDO) ongoing trial results.

Refusing to get into details of tactical operations, he assured that the Navy has its own plans of modernisation and acquisition policies to keep the force battle ready and armed in line with the government and Ministry of Defence policies.

Further, replying, he said the acquisiton and induction of aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya (Gorshov) into the Western Fleet by 2008 will increase the quantum of Naval stength, brushing aside doubts of INS Viraat's decommssion, when Vikramaditya arrives.

Putting aside fears of slow induction, he informed that the Navy is aware of its requirements and increasing its fleet and strength accordingly and in accordance with the timely policies and need of the hour.

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