Indian Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh
Karwar: Amid the border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, Indian Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh on Thursday reviewed the operational preparedness and combat-readiness of the Indian Navy’s principal combattants.
Principal combatants refer to warships deployed at sea for operations.
The development comes just days after India announced Australia’s participation in the upcoming Malabar maritime exercise next month as part of the Quad — a move China was not in favour of.
Giving an overview of the prevailing security situation, Admiral Singh stated that the Navy would continue maintaining a high-tempo of operations in coming months.
He also complimented the Carrier Battle Group and its combatants for accurate and effective weapon firings, which left no doubt about the Navy’s readiness to meet any emergent contingencies.
The Navy chief highlighted that tri-service synergy and coordination has peaked with establishment of the Department of Military Affairs as was visibly demonstrated in the joint response of the three Services to recent events.
Accompanied by Western Naval Command Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar, Admiral Singh arrived at Karwar Naval Base and interacted with personnel and emphasised key issues of repairs, maintenance, spares support and op-logistics for afloat units to sharpen their war-fighting capabilities.
He also reiterated aspects of cyber-security, force protection against terrorist attacks, asymmetric warfare and exhorted all personnel to maintain highest-level of alertness.
Later, he departed by helicopter to embark the Carrier Battle Group, comprising Vikramaditya, destroyers, frigates, corvettes, fleet support ships and integral swing-role fighters and helicopters.
On embarking indigenous guided-missile destroyer Chennai, he was given an operational readiness briefing by the Fleet Commander, after which weapon firings, air-to-air combat operations, anti-submarine drills and fleet manoeuvres were demonstrated under realistic conditions.
The chief thereafter embarked Fleet Support Ship Deepak to interact with the ship's crew, followed by embarkation on aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, where he witnessed the Carrier Battle Group’s capabilities for integral fleet air defence and strike.
Addressing the combatants of the Carrier Battle Group over broadcast from Vikramaditya, Admiral Singh complimented them for continuously maintaining peak combat-readiness and high tempo of operations over the past months, in spite of Covid-19 related challenges.
