Mumbai Nov 25 PTI The Indian Navy on Thursday commissioned submarine INS Vela here adding more teeth to the countrys naval prowess This is the fourth of the six submarines the Indian Navy is to induct under the Kalvari-class submarine Project-75 The submarine was commissioned in the presence of Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh This is the second major induction in the Indian Navy in less than a week On November 21 the Navy commissioned warship INS Visakhapatnam PTI PR NP NP

Kochi Oct 31 PTI The Indian Navy must be able to operate from any place where Indias interest lies and the IAC Vikrant empowers the force with that capability Chief of Naval Staff CNS Admiral Karambir Singh said on Sunday He was speaking to media persons on board the IAC which is currently engaged in the second sea trial since October 24 after a joint evaluation of the indigenously built aircraft carrier along with the Union Minister of Ports Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal The aircraft carrier task force is extremely important as their power is critical The Navy will operate from where the nations interests lie India does not want a navy which is tethered to the shore We should be able to operate from anywhere where Indias interest lies and this carrier gives us that capability Singh said Revealing that the Navy took on a very steep learning curve when it came to the aircraft carrier Singh said a lot of learning has happened with this aircraft carrier The Cochin Shipyard Limited CSL for instance is building a dry dock which is going to be able to take 65000 tonne ships We have taken on a very steep learning curve at a faster pace If we have to build again we would be able to cut down the timeline substantially he said The Navy chief attributed the delay in the building of the IAC to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the decision to rely on Indian steel but pointed out that the wait had its merits There was a few years delay because we wanted to use indigenous steel because of this development of DMR 249A all our indigenous warships today have Indian steel There was a delay but it has got a pay off also he said The high-grade DMR 249A steel is produced indigenously and is being used for the construction of various warships in the country including the engineering marvel 40000 tonne IAC Vikrant Explaining the role of the Navy in protecting the interests of the country the CNS said the Aircraft carrier force was essential to protect the trade through the seas There are two main roles in which the navy is involved One is sea denial which is done by the submarines That means denying the enemy the use of the seas And then there is sea control wherein you require dominance over air surface and underwater The carrier group is central to sea control he said Another Navy official told PTI it was a proud moment for the Force that it could host the Navy chief and the Union Minister in the second sea trial itself We are conducting an endurance trial among others Various maneuvering tactics are being tested This is a huge ship weighing over 40000 tonnes We need to make sure that everything works perfectly under all circumstances the official said The Navy officials briefed the CNS and the Union Minister about the current progress in the sea trial and took them around the vessel to understand it in a comprehensive manner The maiden sea sortie of the IAC Vikrant the largest and the most complex warship built in the country was successfully undertaken on August 21 this year The chopper team comprising two ALH and the Sea King flew past the ship multiple times and demonstrated the landing and take-off maneuvers It is 262 meter long 62 meter wide and 59 meter tall With the delivery of IAC India would join a select group of nations with the capability to indigenously design and build an Aircraft Carrier PTI RRT ROH ROH

Panaji Oct 28 PTI The Indian Navy on Thursday airlifted a fisherman off the Goa coast after he fell sick in mid-sea a Defense release said here An Advanced Light Helicopter ALH of the INAS 323 squadron from INS Hansa Goa was deployed to rescue the fisherman who complained of acute chest pain when his boat was about 50 nautical miles southwest of Goa around 1245 pm He was airlifted with a naval medical officer onboard and brought to INS Hansa by 220 pm the release added The fisherman was then transferred to a sub-district hospital at Chicalim for further treatment and his condition was reported to be stable the release added PTI RPS KRK KRK

New Delhi Oct 27 PTI The Indian Navy is working on tailor-made solutions to help friendly countries confront pressing challenges in the maritime domain with a broader aim to emerge as a preferred security partner and make a real contribution for an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh said on Wednesday Without naming China he also talked about some states applying land-centric territorial mindsets in the basic idea of global commerce in the Indi-Pacific with an attempt to seek greater domination and control that has created challenges to global rules In an address at a seminar Admiral Singh said there has been a day-to-day competition for influence in the Indo-Pacific that brings with it attendant and evolving challenges noting that the rules of game are constantly changing He said the Indian Navy has prioritised certain elements in its efforts to play a more constructive and stabilising role in the Indo-Pacific that including working towards developing collective maritime competence in the region Our Navys endeavour is to help harness competencies collectively to tackle the common challenges being faced In this creation of a participative inclusive ecosystem rather than a prohibitive elitist one has been our priority he said He said the second element is to look outward and be ambitious in its engagement while the third one is to engage with partner nations to develop interoperability and trust with an aim to come together in a plug and play fashion when needed Admiral Singh said the final element is to focus on the real problems being faced by regional nations on a day-to-day basis and help them with tailor-made solutions For example the island nations in the Indian Ocean Region their economy is tourism-oriented Their problems are of drug smuggling human smuggling he said Therefore as the Indian Navy we are working to develop tailor-made solutions to these problems Only when we address the challenges that the nations in the region face we can hope to emerge as a preferred security partner in the region and make a real contribution towards a free more open and increasingly inclusive region Singh said The top Navy commander cautioned that any contest in the region will impact all other countries and not just the contenders as he called for a comprehensive approach by like-minded countries to deal with the emerging challenges There is a danger of global commons turning into contested seas Competition in the Indo-Pacific is becoming more diverse involving levers of diplomacy commerce ideologies values science and technology apart from the military he said If we are to ensure the security and safety of global commons like-minded navies must come together to manage and maintain the global commons for prosperity the Navy chief added He said the future of the Indo-Pacific hinges on cooperative efforts of like-minded nations asserting that prosperity security and growth for all in the region can only be accomplished under a collaborative approach We have to be aware of the evolving nature of the competition and the contestation in this region What we are seeing today is some states applying land centric territorial mindsets in the basic idea of global commerce attempting to seek greater domination and control and therefore it creates challenges to international rules regulations and reinterpretation of such conventions he added There has been growing global concern over Chinas increasing expansionist behaviour in the Indo-Pacific that has forced many countries to come out with strategies to deal with the challenge PTI MPB ZMN ZMN

New Delhi Sep 29 PTI The Indian Navy evacuated a Filipino crew member of a merchant vessel off the coast of Kochi after his health deteriorated rapidly due to suspected COVID-19Michel John Abaygar the Chief Officer of the vessel MV Lyric Poet was evacuated using an Advanced Light Helicopter ALH by the Southern Naval Command SNC on Tuesday Navy officials saidThe ship was en route to Machong from GibraltarAt about 4 PM on Tuesday the SNC received an input regarding suspected COVID-19 positive case of a Filipino male crew from Coast Guard headquarters The vessels local agent intimated that the medical condition of the Chief Officer Michel John Abaygar was severely deteriorating with depleting oxygen levels and required immediate medical evacuation an Indian Navy spokesperson saidHe said an ALH was immediately launched from INS Garuda to undertake the medical evacuationThe pilots of the helicopter displaying tremendous skill and professionalism successfully completed the mission in adverse weather conditions and ensured safe evacuation of the patient the spokesperson said Abaygar was brought to INS Garuda and subsequently admitted to INHS Sanjivini a naval hospital for further treatment PTI MPB DV DV