Indian navy to induct 33 new war ships

Kolkata, Jun 30 (UNI) Indian Navy will induct 33 new war ships, including six sub-marines, to increase its defence capability and area of operation for ensuring India's present economic growth, according to Indian Navy Admiral Suresh Mehta.

Addressing a news confernce on his first visit here after assuming the present post, Admiral Mehta said efforts were on to make the force a vibrant combatic power with logistic budgetary support of about Rs 19,000 crore per annum.

He said besides safeguarding of country's maritime regime in the Indian ocean, the force would also operate distance areas or secondary areas of interest beyond its waters for peacetime activities like helping country's trading and ONGC's oil exploration initiatives for economic growth.

He said the new 33 war ships, including six submarines, being built in 16 shipyards of the country, would be inducted to increase defence capability in course of time.

Fighter aircraft from US and a ship from Russia are to be inducted in the fleet in near future, he added.

Currently Indian Navy has 126 ships and as many aircraft with 7000 officers, 50,000 soldiers and about 15,000 civilian employees helping the force. Although the force has about 10 to 15 per cent shortages of staff but that was managable as new ships are basically run with automation.

The Admiral said in recent years Indian Navy had successful peacetime exercises with countries like the US, China, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Phillipines and will hold an international symposium in which 32 countires will take part in New Delhi in 2008.

He said all heads of naval force are expected to take part and discuss among others peace time activity like holding joint exercise, combat pirates, disaster managment, tsunami type preparedness and other crimes in the common waters.

To make the force vibrant the Indian Navy will have a full fledged new naval academy in Kerala where the first course starts from 2009 where some 700 heads would emerge as Graduate Engineers in four years time, Mr Mehta elaborated.

The Admiral said efforts were on to declassify documets in two months time of the Indian Navy.

UNI