Navies of the world have a unique role in promoting goodwill, nurturing peace and tranquillity of the oceans, President Pranab Mukherjee said yesterday following an impressive International Fleet Review.
Speaking on board INS Sumitra, an offshore patrol vessel converted to serve as the presidential yatch, Mukherjee said present-day maritime domain requires navies across the world to re-focus their efforts to counter the rising tide of non-traditional maritime challenges.
“Considering the globalised nature of today’s political and economic environment, it is our belief that the present-day maritime domain requires navies across the world to re-focus their efforts to counter the rising tide of non-traditional maritime challenges in the brown, green and blue waters across all ocean,” the president said.
The IFR off Visakhapatnam coast brought together “navies from across the globe here on Indian shores, signifying the common desire to use the seas to promote peace, co-operation and friendship,” Mukherjee said.
He said the presence of foreign countries in such a large number had made the event spectacular, truly reflecting the spirit of IFR that humanity was indeed united through the oceans.
“IFR 2016 has enabled us to join hands and work together to secure our seas for the greater good of humanity and the world,” the president said.
A fleet review is a ceremonial and stately inspection of naval warships by the president, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces.
Also on the presidential yacht were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and the three service chiefs.
The presidential yacht set off after a 21-gun salute, with three more boats, INS Sumedha, INS Saryu and INS Sunayna (all Saryu class patrol vessels) following in the trail.
The ships to be reviewed stood in six columns with sailors lined up in proud presentation of their naval traditions. Dressed in white ceremonial uniforms, they doffed their caps in unison in a grand salutation resounding the sound of ‘Three Jais’, symbolising the spirit of camaraderie and bonhomie across the seas.
The ships lined up by the Indian Navy for the review includes two aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya and INS Viraat which is set to retire soon.
Also participating are warships INS Kolkata, INS Mysore, and other ships of the class, INS Ranvijay and INS Kadmat, the latest ship to be inducted in the Indian Navy.
Ships of Indian Coast Guard and Mercantile Marine were also present.
The president also reviewed the Indian Naval Air Arm in a display of spectacular fly-past by several fixed wing and rotary aircraft comprising different formations.
Past the columns of ships on display were three Sindhughosh, or kilo-class submarines - INS Sindhuvir, Sindhukriti and Sundhuraj.
The foreign ships included United States’ USS Antietam, a guided missile corvette, HMS Defender of UK, JS Matsuyuki of Japan, IRIS Alvand of Iran, BNS Somudra Joy from Bangladesh, Liuzhou (573) from China, and HMAS Darwin from Australia.
About 50 navies and 24 foreign ships are participating in the IFR, the second to be held by India and the largest military exercise hosted by the country so far.
The last IFR was held in Mumbai in 2001, presided over by the late A P J Abdul
Kalam. Twenty-nine countries had participated in that event.