E-Paper
Navy brass to discuss indigenisation, tri-services synergy
Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar will chair the three-day biannual naval commanders’ conference in Delhi from September 4 to 6
The biannual naval commanders’ conference will be held in Delhi from September 4 to 6, with the navy brass carrying out an operational review, assessing the readiness of the maritime force, deliberating on issues related to tri-services synergy, and discussing matters related to logistics, training and administration, the navy said in a statement on Sunday.
Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar will chair the three-day conference.
The senior leadership will review major operational, materiel, logistics, human resources, training, and administrative activities undertaken during the last six months, and chart out the course for the coming months, the statement said.
“In keeping with the expectations of Indian Navy being the preferred security partner and first responder to any crisis in the region, the forum will undertake a detailed review of the operational readiness of the navy, with a particular focus on the performance of weapons and sensors of naval platforms,” it said.
The top brass will also review ongoing naval projects with a focus on enhancing indigenisation through the ‘Make in India’ initiative in consonance with the vision of achieving complete ‘Atmanirbharta’ by 2047.
Speaking at the launch of a warship in Mumbai on Friday, Kumar said traditional security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region, and the larger Indo-Pacific persist. The navy has a mandate to not only pursue, protect, preserve, and promote India’s national maritime interests, but also to be proactive in tackling security threats that affect all in the region, he said.
Progress made in identifying and removing archaic practices is also on the conference’s agenda.
In the latest step towards shedding colonial practices, the navy decided in July that its personnel will no longer carry ceremonial batons. Senior officers in command roles, commanding officers of warships, naval bases and other establishments, and provost personnel responsible for policing, vigilance and enforcement of discipline thus far carried batons.
The navy said the symbolism of power portrayed by holding such batons was a colonial legacy.
Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a naval ensign at the commissioning ceremony of aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, with the new flag drawing inspiration from the seal of Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj and the Cross of St George being dropped, a move that the PM described as getting rid of the burden of a colonial past.
