INDIAN NAVY ADDS 'EYES' AND 'EARS' IN THE BAY

Navy Day

 

The seas around us are highways of trade and energy supplies and need to be safeguarded at all times to sustain the country’s economic progress. The Indian Navy is playing a stellar role in keeping these highways around us secure.

 

INS Virat, the mighty aircraft carrier

 

The Navy has also responded in a prompt and professional manner to the challenges brought up by the prevailing global security environment. The roles and responsibilities of the Navy are only going to become even more important to the nation’s security and well-being, as the complex geo-strategic landscape of the 21^st century unfolds.

 

Every year, my dear friends, 4th December is celebrated as the Navy Day to commemorate the Indian Navy’s gallant action on 4^th December, 1971 during the Indo-Pak War. To mark this occasion, various activities are organized by the Andaman & Nicobar Command in the first week of December every year. The President of India, the Defence Minister and Chief of Naval Staff sent messages on this occasion.

 

This year too as a part of Navy Week celebrations, various activities were organized to increase awareness about the Indian Navy among the civilian population, as I have been writing about, every year.  There have been quite a few landmark accomplishments by our Navy during this year.

 

In a bid to deal befittingly with the complexities of the task of the Navy of ensuring maritime security at sea, along the coast and ashore, a Joint Operation Centre (Coastal Defence) has been set up at the Headquarters, Andaman & Nicobar Command in Port Blair, which is manned round-the-clock and has been operational since 19^th April, 2010.

 

FDN – 1, Indian Navy’s 1st Floating Dock at Port Blair

 

The JOC (CD) is under the charge of the Commander-in-Chief, Andaman & Nicobar Command who is also designated as the Commander-in-Chief (Coastal Defence). The JOC (CD) is working to a drawn up detailed plan for enhancing coastal security around the islands.

 

The Command is involved in an ongoing awareness program for local fishermen to train them to become additional ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ at sea. The resultant Fishermen Watch Group has already begun yielding positive results. Regular coastal security exercises are being executed once every six months involving all maritime stakeholders of the region – the Marine Police, the Port Management Board, Customs, Forests, Fisheries to name a few.

 

The coastal defence initiatives by the Command have received an overwhelming response from the local administration, security agencies as well as the masses. The Fisheries Department has made it mandatory to for local fishermen to carry valid identity cards and e-registration of boats and biometrics of personnel is also underway. This has lent added relevance to the Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) operations carried out by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard.

 

A communication issued to the media and general public during the Navy Week also enlightens that plans are well underway to establish surveillance sensors along the coastline in order to bring maximum areas under the electronic eye. A database of coastal features is also being compiled at the JOC (CD) which will then be reference with the Global Information System (GIS) for creating a potent decision support tool for planning multi-agency coordinated responses during a crisis.

 

 

In addition, the Indian Navy is continuing its regular Coordinated Patrols with friendly littorals like Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore, which are invaluable learning tools for interoperability during crises/emergencies.

 

Another offshoot of the government directives on the Coastal Security – the Saagar Prahari Bal – is also being positioned at Port Blair in a phased manner. This cadre comprises trained manpower from the Indian Navy to provide sea-front protection of important installations (VAs and VPs) as well as to escort naval vessels in and out of harbour.

 

The Indian Navy has played a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability - both at the national and international levels. Despite various conventional and unconventional challenges, the officers and sailors have maintained peace, stability and prosperity on the seas around us. However, our Navy must adopt new technologies and operational practices to retain the cutting edge among the leading maritime forces of the world.

 

Eventually, it does sound reassuring to hear the perceptive Admiral Nirmal Verma, the Chief of Naval Staff say, “The Indian Navy today operates in an exceedingly changed strategic context. An uncertain and unpredictable security environment, as also natural calamities of increasing frequency magnifies the complexity of meeting the challenges at hand.”

 

The majestically brawny new aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya

 

He further says with notable poise, “With anticipated force accretions and inductions of newer and better hardware, the Navy’s blue and water capabilities continue to be the bedrock of our Navy’s operational, organizational and technological effectiveness. They not only make us proud of a glorious wake, but also hold the promise of a bright and vibrant future.”

 

“Shanno Varunah”

Jai Hind!!!

 

Images courtesy: http://indiannavy.nic.in

AIRBASES & RAIL LINES FOR ANDAMAN ISLANDS

 

With hundreds of uninhabited islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago making it vulnerable from the security perspective, India is planning to open more airbases in the islands.

 

The Indian Navy chief, Admiral Nirmal Verma said last month that India was planning to revamp the infrastructure in the 572 odd islands in the Bay of Bengal.

 

“The airstrip up north (Northern Andaman islands) needs to be refurbished. Even for smaller aircraft it is a tight fit,” Verma told PTI.

The airfield at Shibpur, Diglipur (North Andaman) is about 1,000 feet in length and is inadequate for smaller cargo aircraft like Dornier and AN-32. Currently, only helicopters are capable of conducting operations from the airfield.

More airfields and helipads will boost the surveillance and logistics capability of the Indian armed forces along the significant archipelago, located about 700 nautical miles away from the Indian mainland.

Senior officials say more airfields in the Andaman and Nicobar tri-service command are also in the offing.

Presently, there are airbases in Port Blair, Car Nicobar, and Campbell Bay. According to senior Indian Naval officers, plans are afoot to spread out air power in other islands like Katchal (Nicobar District) and Hut Bay (Little Andaman).

“We also intend to bring in night landing facility at the airbases,” Verma said.

The Indian Navy has recently inducted its amphibious vessel Landing Ship Tank (LST) in the Andaman and Nicobar command.

“We have inducted an LST and soon we will be inducting Operation Patrol Vehicles constructed at the Goa Shipyard Limited,” Verma said.

Andaman and Nicobar islands are significant for increasing surveillance in the Indonesian Strait and the Bay of Bengal. It would also help India extend its maritime power in South China Sea before the Chinese foreclose the option.

Coincidentally, in her annual budget speech, Ms Mamata Banerji, Minister for Railways in India proposed 114 socially desirable projects for updating the surveys and then to process through the Planning Commission. The proposed Port Blair-Diglipur line stands at serial No. 84 in the list of 114.

She said in her budget speech, “In my last budget speech, I had highlighted the need to take up socially desirable projects connecting backward areas. Many proposals for such connectivity have been pending for a long time. It is proposed to update the surveys for the following lines and thereafter these will be processed through Planning Commission for necessary approvals.”

Well, although this would be a good stride ahead in terms of the development of the serene island territory, whether the government goes about implementing these plans meticulously extending due consideration and caution to sensitively crucial issues such as environment, ecology, tribal and reserve forest issues etc., remains a big question mark…

Courtesy: PTI

NAVY DAY & THE ANDAMAN & NICOBAR COMMAND (ANC)

“NAVY DAY”

The Indian Navy is celebrating Navy Day today, the 4^th December, 2009 as a tribute to the valiant maritime operations taken by the Indian Navy during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. The Naval component of the Andaman & Nicobar Command is carrying out various events spread over a week also known as “Navy Week” beginning today. Intensified maritime surveillance and other operational tasks by the Navy in the Andaman Sea region have been the principal thrust of the Joint Andaman & Nicobar Command.

Navy Day is the anniversary of the daredevil attack on Pakistan’s only naval base at Karachi, in 1971. Besides, “the Indian Navy has made an enormous contribution to our Islands. From providing security to these Islands for over forty years to establishing lines of communication over the far reaches of these islands to specialized medical attention to its denizens when needed. The yeoman job rendered by the naval component of the Joint Command in relief and evacuation during the catastrophic Tsunami that struck the Islands on 26^th December, 2004, is an unforgettable service to the Islanders,” said Lt. Gen. (Retd) Bhopinder Singh, while greeting the Indian Navy.

Let me proudly share with you all, dear friends, on this momentous occasion, certain salient facts and figures about the historic establishment of the first ever Integrated Command in the country.

The First Integrated Command:

The location of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands confers great strategic advantage. Their economic and tourist potential also dictate a sound security presence. As India’s Easternmost Bastion, the ANC is charged with the responsibility for the defense of the A & N territories, its air space and waters. ANC is raised as India ‘Look East Policy’, of reaching out to the defense of India’s maritime neighbors and building ‘Bridges of friendship’.

The Andaman & Nicobar archipelago of over 572 islands & islets stretches like a necklace around the Andaman Sea. North to south, the chain extends over 720 kilometers. At its widest, its only 51 kilometers. Constituting approximately 8249 square Km of landmass, the islands have 1912 Km of coastline. The archipelago is at a distance of approximately 1200 Km from India’s Eastern seaboard and 450 Km from the Malay Peninsula. Myanmar’s Coco Islands towards the North are just 42 Km away and Aceh in Indonesia is 163 Km from the southernmost tip of Great Nicobar Island, which, in fact, is also India’s southernmost tip.

After the 1962 war, a need was felt to enhance military presence in these Islands. Consequently, INS Jarawa was commissioned at Port Blair on 15^th February, 1964. This was followed by the commissioning of INS Kardip at Kamorta on 28^th April, 1973. The establishment was renamed – Fortress A & N (FORTAN) in 1981with a Rear Admiral as the Fortress Commander. Utkrosh Air Station was commissioned on 11^th May, 1985. The Fortress Commander was upgraded to a three star appointment in 1987. FORTAN got a Tri-service character with the induction of 108 Mountain Brigade from Lekhabali (Arunachal Pradesh) on 15^th December, 1990 and the raising of 37 Wing at Car Nicobar on 16^th September, 1993. As regards, Coast Guard, the Regional Headquarters was amongst the first three Regional HQs that were set up after the enactment of the Coast Guard Act in 1978.

Further, the Government of India approved the establishment of the ANC as an Integrated Command on 11^th May, 2001. The directive from Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) on setting up of ANC was issued and the Command was raised on 8^th October, 2001, under the first Commander-in-Chief A & N (CINCAN), Vice Admiral Arun Prakash, AVSM (Ati Vishishta Seva Medal), VrC, and VSM. All components of the three services and Coast Guard located in the Islands were placed under the operational command of CINCAN.

^{Vice Admiral Arun Prakash with then Lt. Governor, Prof Ram Kapse and Lt Gen Aditya Singh}

^{Salute to the Indian Navy! JAI HIND!!!}

^{Data & figures courtesy: The Daily Telegrams}

FRENCH NAVAL SHIP VISITS ANDAMAN NICOBAR COMMAND

French Naval Ship (FNS) Somme, a tanker class ship of the French Navy arrived at Port Blair on 22^nd September, 2009 on a two-day visit. 

 

Commander Abhinav Bublic Relations Officer of Andaman and Nicobar Command told UNI today that Rear Admiral Bruno Nielly, ALINDIEN, is also onboard FNS Somme. FNS Somme is the command and control platform for the ALINDIEN, who is the overall Force Commander of French Armed Forces for the Indian Ocean region.

 

''On arrival here yesterday, the French Naval Ship was given the traditional welcome and the visiting Admiral and Commanding Officer of the French Naval Ship called on Major General AK Chaturvedi, Chief of Staff, Andaman and Nicobar Command. During the visit, ALINDIEN will also call on the Commander-in-Chief,'' Mr. Barve said.

The French Naval delegation interacted with Headquarters Staff of ANC at the Command Headquarters and discussed areas of mutual cooperation. During the day, the officers and crew of the visiting ship were also taken on a guided visit to the historic Ross Island.

Various other events were also planned by ANC for the crew of FNS Somme, including friendly sports activities, visit of naval personnel of both the countries to each other's ships and social interactions.'' The visit of FNS Somme will enhance mutual understanding between the two countries.'' Commander Barve added.